May 22, 2022

 According to The Bible, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do.”  [John 14:12]

Imagine being just as much a child of God as Jesus.

Imagine each of us being just as much a child of God as Jesus.

Imagine every one of the billions of people on this planet being just as much a child of God as Jesus, including those – some of them Christians - who disagree with us, who mock us, and who to all appearances hate us.

How shall we think about, and relate to, our holy siblings who disagree with us, mock us, hate us - and even wish us harm?

A good starting point is one of love, truth, and humility.

Uniqueness and growth

Each and every human being is unique.  

Consciousness of our own uniqueness is crucial to maturity.  While it is impossible, and would be imprudent, for anyone to bare every detail of their (not just his or her) uniqueness to others, exploration and acceptance of our own uniqueness is crucial to growth, peace of mind, and joy.

May 8, 2022

In Jesus and the Disinherited, the late theologian Howard Thurman wrote, “Uniqueness always escapes us as we undertake an analysis of character.”

Imagine.  All the people who have ever lived, who are living now, and who will live in centuries to come — each one was, is, or will be unique.

The commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself has no exception.  The commandment is not to love one’s neighbor as oneself so long as it is comfortable to do so.

Do I honor and love myself in my uniqueness, with all my quirks?

This is a spiritual question because, probably, only to the extent I honor and accept my uniqueness can I gain the capacity to love each neighbor in all his or her uniqueness.