October 11, 2020

One of my frequent sayings is, “We raise our children to be independent – and they go and do it.”  We raise our children to be independent from us – not, of course, from responsibility for their own care, growth, and ethics; from society, economics and culture; or from the global environment.

I wonder if God says something similar about us.

To others, particularly those whose beliefs are very different from ours, let us choose love, not self-righteousness.

Let us say by our actions –

We are members of the same family.

I recognize you as my equal.

I love you, even if I don’t love everything you say and do.

Let’s get to know each other.

Let’s work together for what we both regard as a more just, equitable, peaceful and healthy society.

October 4, 2020

One of my favorite sources of amusement is photos of business goofs found on the Internet by searching on “you only had one job.”  But there is a serious, even holy, application of that phrase.  Each of us has — each of us wields — her or his own part of the power of God.  The use of the power of God — the use by each of us of our own piece of that power — has divinity in it.  Certainly restraint, patience, silence, and silent forgiveness can all be uses of our divine power.  But to neglect opportunities to use that of God within us to aid others or for our own growth — for stewardship of the piece of divine power entrusted to us — is to neglect our agency of the Holy Spirit.

Regarding that agency, let it be said of each of us, “You only had one job – and you did your very best.”