It’s amazing what a little information can do. As I read Dag Hammarskjold’s short essay today I have a sense of familiarity and of freshness. The story is of Jesus and His preparation for and realization of his crucifixion. But it is written about “the adamant young man” preparing for His seemingly cruel destiny of sacrifice. The “young man” remains focused in spite of the ignorance and unwillingness of his closest friends. The essay ends with a challenge for followers of Jesus to embrace sacrifice with the same faith that is exemplified and strengthened by the work of Christ.
The informing part for me was a quick google search of Hammarskjold. It revealed that he was the youngest person to ever serve at the UN Secretary Journal. An economist who was committed to public service. Not necessarily profound but it made me think how our life experiences are both informed by and informational in our reading of Scripture. The essay and the google search hint at the possibility that Dag found in Christ a purpose to serve and a drive to keep going even when outer skepticism and inner doubt may creep in. May we be driven like Christ for Christ.