That's great-- but. . . .

Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. 
–William Shakespeare


From the time we are born, we are learning, acquiring information about the world around us. Every sight, every new sound helps us discover and learn more about the people and places in our lives.

Then the “formal” learning begins. Whether in a classroom with twenty other children or at home with just a few, we are taught facts and figures, math and geography. Facts, facts, facts.

Even in Sunday school we are pressed to learn. You may have memorized the Ten Commandments or Psalm 23. You probably learned about the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son—and that’s all great. It’s a lot of information for young brains.

But now we are older. And I wonder: have we gone beyond information? Have we allowed these passages and parables into our hearts, and been transformed by them?

Are we able to show greater compassion to the broken soul by the side of the road, or do we avert our eyes and assume someone else will help?

Do we stand expectantly at the door, arms wide open, eager to welcome the one who strayed from the fold? Have we truly learned to love our neighbor as we have been loved?

We can store information neatly in our brains, but until we “bridge the gap” between our head and our heart, our journey is incomplete. Christ’s transformation is always a work in progress; without it, knowledge alone is insufficient.

Monday Remember for a few minutes your church background (or lack thereof). How important is knowledge of Scripture to you? Psalm 19:7-10

Tuesday Meditate today on the idea of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person? Pray for a softer heart. Romans 10:10

Wednesday As you go about your living today, open your eyes. Look for people you might otherwise not see. If nothing else, offer a whisper of prayer. Deuteronomy 15:4

Thursday Take an honest look at your heart. What keeps you from doing more? Listen for excuse-making. If you passed someone as the Samaritan did, what would you do? Luke 10:25-37

Friday Do you remember a time when, like the Prodigal, you disappointed a parent or other significant adult in your life? Or perhaps you’ve been the one disappointed? Pray for reconciliation or forgiveness if necessary. Luke 15:11-32

Saturday As you pray today for yourself, offer yourself again as God’s hands in this world. Listen for opportunities, however small, to serve. Luke 21:1-4

Sunday There are strangers in our midst, people we may see every week and never greet. Welcome someone you’ve never welcomed before—and do so with an open mind and heart. Matthew 25:34-40


Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes. 
–Peter Drucker

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stepping back. . . .

Image
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and with a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,  even if your whole world seems upset.  –St. Francis de Sales This week, I invite you to simply sit in a quiet space with words of hope and promise, and to remember, as Julian of Norwich knew, that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well . It has been a long, difficult season. Advent and the coming of the Christ is just around the corner. Peace and comfort to your spirit. Monday   “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Matthew 11:28-30 Tuesday  “Is this not the kind of fast I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6-9 Wednesday  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the
Read more

It's that time again. . . .

When the seasons shift, even the subtle beginning, the scent of a promised changed, I feel something stir inside me. Hopefulness? Gratitude? Openness?  Whatever it is,  it’s welcome. –Kristin Armstrong No matter what part of the world you call home, this time of year brings big changes. While my friends Down Under are watching sings of new growth emerge from the earth as temperatures rise, here in Ohio, the leaves are turning from green to gold and orange, red and brown. The winds have taken on a chill; clouds hang heavy, like soggy cotton, reminding us that soon and very soon, we are going to see the snow . Always different, yet somehow, the same. We depend on God’s eternal ways, and trust that again this year, winter will follow autumn, just like it should. So why is it, as we anticipate and appreciate changes like these, when it comes to so many things in life we pull up short, wrinkle our noses and say No! No change! I like things just the way they are! It’s t
Read more

Starting again

“This, then, is how you should pray:" --Matthew 6:9a I have been really sensing lately that there is another blog inside me, one focused on prayer.  Oh, I know-- those elephants are all about prayer. Heck, they  are  prayer. And I will continue there, as well. But what I've been feeling is that people-- maybe you--  have always been told, "You should pray," or "Pray about that." But maybe you feel your prayers aren't "good enough," or that it's just too hard, too embarrassing, too [fill in the blank] to pray. Maybe it feels like no one really talks about how  to pray-- except, of course, for Jesus, in Matthew 6 and a couple parallel passages where we are given what's come to be known as The Lord's Prayer. And it is a great prayer. And there are other great prayers, and other ways to pray that do not involve rote. So "my plan" here is to share, hopefully on a weekly or semi-regular basis, a lot of
Read more