“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect,” (Romans 12:2).

So, who remembers playing with this toy?

At my Grandma Purcell’s home, this is one of the toys my cousin and I enjoyed. And as we built towers, cars, animals, and other contraptions, Tinker Toy taught us to conceive and create, dream and design, imagine and innovate. Many a budding engineer first learned to build by tinkering with Tinker Toys.

So, what’s become of the art of tinkering? Do we even know how to tinker anymore? And how might we learn to lean into a new reality as the people of God without dreaming new dreams and imagining new possibilities? I believe that it’s time to start tinkering again.

In Romans 12:2, St. Paul calls the people of God “to discern what is the will of God” for their particular time and place. Paul’s original word that is translated “to discern”, is the Greek word δοκιμάζω (dōk-im-a-zō), which means “to put to the test”, or “to prove” through a series of careful observations and intentional experiments. Δοκιμάζω has the sense of discerning God’s will through the guiding of the Holy Spirit and by tinkering our way into it.

I believe that we have a unique and sacred opportunity to conceive and create, dream and design, imagine and innovate. So, let’s break out the Tinker Toys, the Lincoln Logs, and the Legos, it’s time to start tinkering again.

So, what are you tinkering with these days? At home? At work? In the parish? In the community? Drop me a line and tell me how you’re taking the time to tinker