Do you ever take a stroll down memory lane?
This morning, with the power of the internet, I took a stroll down memory lane of my last 17 years. Marked mostly by the churches I have served in one capacity or another, I rejoiced to see that each of these are growing communities of faith in which people's lives are touched, changed, and being innovative to create space for others to be encountered by the Resurrected One.
Some are most notable for their worship attendance and styles. One is marked by their impact in the community through clinics, giving away over $1 million to the local needs.
Yet what stats and websites don't show are the relationships of each place. I have these fond memories of growing in faith, asking questions, my wedding and a host of other memories flooding in. What has amazed me this morning is the reality of tangible love that each community expressed to me and my family. In the midst of their large sizes, there are specific names that resound in my memory- Brian, the one who taught me integrity; Marty, the one who shared a compassionate Jesus; Artie, the one who taught me the value of a friend; Jason, the one who taught me perseverance; Mark, the one who taught me authentic love.
These are just a few for there are many on this list. And I would imagine that there would be many on yours. For the church is the Body of Christ in which we find mutual care and connection. Just as I have these names implanted on my life, I hope that in serving and caring for others my name is implanted on theirs. And this isn't for notoriety or pride, it is the culmination of doing life together. We touch each others lives- sometimes purposely but most often unknowingly.
If you had to take a stroll down your memory lane, which names would be listed in the memory bank? Which faces pop into your mind as you think of doing life together, of learning from others, and of mutual care? Perhaps today is a day to grab a piece of paper and begin remembering- remembering the names of those that have shaped you but also those to whom you have helped shape.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
The Sign Says...
I wonder if we all wore a sign that hung around our necks that said "In need of Grace" if it would change the way we look at others. Quite often I have found that we realize our individual need of grace but are quick to forget that everyone else is equally needing that same grace.
Jesus repeatedly invites us to remember the important message of grace. This grace is often realized through the granting of forgiveness. To be sure, this isn't easy. Forgiveness is the giving up the power of a grudge, of the anger, of the right to be right. Forgiveness is the very act of bestowing onto someone else the grace that we want, and need, in our own lives.
Conflict is a natural part of human interaction. Somewhere along the journey we learned that if conflict is present, we react in one of four ways:
1. We RUN from it;
2. We HIDE from it;
3. We DANCE around it;
4. We DEAL with it.
The first three responses are the ones that at times seem valiant or right, but the conflict is never really resolved. They are the responses that we have learned to protect ourselves and/or protect others. Throughout life, we have learned that if we respond in one of these ways, then the conflict will seemingly go away. Yet what really goes away are the relationships. That is the collateral damage of the first three responses.
The final response, that we DEAL with it, is one that takes courage and grace. For we often fret over another's response and what the outcome will be. Yet if we deal with the conflicts in our lives, the end goal of healthy relationships can finally be realized.
Yet the key for all conflict is that both people come to the table with a humility to admit when one is wrong, when one needs to ask for or grant forgiveness and to live into the future with grace toward the other.
So, what if you began looking at others, and the conflicts that present themselves, as an opportunity to practice grace. What if each of us is really trying to live whole lives but too often we get sidetracked by the encounter with conflict? Perhaps if we learned to deal with conflict then we would become a people marked by our willingness to forgive and grant grace!
Jesus repeatedly invites us to remember the important message of grace. This grace is often realized through the granting of forgiveness. To be sure, this isn't easy. Forgiveness is the giving up the power of a grudge, of the anger, of the right to be right. Forgiveness is the very act of bestowing onto someone else the grace that we want, and need, in our own lives.
Conflict is a natural part of human interaction. Somewhere along the journey we learned that if conflict is present, we react in one of four ways:
1. We RUN from it;
2. We HIDE from it;
3. We DANCE around it;
4. We DEAL with it.
The first three responses are the ones that at times seem valiant or right, but the conflict is never really resolved. They are the responses that we have learned to protect ourselves and/or protect others. Throughout life, we have learned that if we respond in one of these ways, then the conflict will seemingly go away. Yet what really goes away are the relationships. That is the collateral damage of the first three responses.
The final response, that we DEAL with it, is one that takes courage and grace. For we often fret over another's response and what the outcome will be. Yet if we deal with the conflicts in our lives, the end goal of healthy relationships can finally be realized.
Yet the key for all conflict is that both people come to the table with a humility to admit when one is wrong, when one needs to ask for or grant forgiveness and to live into the future with grace toward the other.
So, what if you began looking at others, and the conflicts that present themselves, as an opportunity to practice grace. What if each of us is really trying to live whole lives but too often we get sidetracked by the encounter with conflict? Perhaps if we learned to deal with conflict then we would become a people marked by our willingness to forgive and grant grace!
Monday, January 6, 2014
The Art of 'Hanging Out'
A few weeks ago I was watching a group of teens hanging out. I was close enough to hear their conversation as they were quite boisterous in sharing. A couple of the jokes were more about flirting than laughter but suddenly the conversation changed when asked about what they were doing over the holidays. One commented that they 'had to hang out with their family!'(implant sarcasm here!) The others all nodded in agreement that they too were being sentenced to life with family.
It got me to thinking about those days long gone by. Do you remember them? When being with family was a sentence one must survive until the reunion of friends happened? Or thinking that your parents were not cool or smart? Or thinking that the most important thing in the world was hanging out?
I remember them. I remember waiting until 3 pm so I could hang out after school. I remember Friday and Saturday nights being vital to my existence. And I remember sharing life together which included major topics like what our parents did, the hope we had for the future, whether God really existed, wondering who we were going to date, etc.
Perhaps the teenage population still has something on us adults. Perhaps teens have this innate ability to be drawn into community just as the first church was. Truth be told, teens do need and listen to their parents. Yet the community is where they learn to trust others, develop communication skills, be a part of something larger than themselves and find social norms.
The early church was marked in their desire to dwell together. It shapes much of Acts and the letters. These first Christians found strength, hope, love and purpose together. They learned that in their being a community they could withstand any storm that brewed as they encouraged each other in the ways of Christ.
What if that marked our community today? What would it be like if our community was a place where each person had no need for anything? What if our community was marked by hanging out and doing life together? Perhaps that was the vital role of the Church in some of the hardest of days and should be even today!
It got me to thinking about those days long gone by. Do you remember them? When being with family was a sentence one must survive until the reunion of friends happened? Or thinking that your parents were not cool or smart? Or thinking that the most important thing in the world was hanging out?
I remember them. I remember waiting until 3 pm so I could hang out after school. I remember Friday and Saturday nights being vital to my existence. And I remember sharing life together which included major topics like what our parents did, the hope we had for the future, whether God really existed, wondering who we were going to date, etc.
Perhaps the teenage population still has something on us adults. Perhaps teens have this innate ability to be drawn into community just as the first church was. Truth be told, teens do need and listen to their parents. Yet the community is where they learn to trust others, develop communication skills, be a part of something larger than themselves and find social norms.
The early church was marked in their desire to dwell together. It shapes much of Acts and the letters. These first Christians found strength, hope, love and purpose together. They learned that in their being a community they could withstand any storm that brewed as they encouraged each other in the ways of Christ.
What if that marked our community today? What would it be like if our community was a place where each person had no need for anything? What if our community was marked by hanging out and doing life together? Perhaps that was the vital role of the Church in some of the hardest of days and should be even today!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)