Greetings Dear Reader,
Families are masters at gossiping about each other without
even considering they are doing it. “News”
about a family member can spread faster than fire in dry corn field. In the southern culture that is my heritage
there are formalities in asking for gossip.
The dance is an interesting one. There are ways of asking for gossip. A lull in the conversation at a meal may
yield the question, “any news?” This is
an open invitation to gossip about anyone.
A family member in crisis will trigger questions such as, “Is Brian doing
OK.” This sounds so very
compassionate. It can be from some but
more often is an invitation to tell all the details of Brian’s crisis.
The natural ebb and flow of family conversation can so
easily unleash a tidal wave of gossip that goes unrecognized until it breaks
around us. Further we do not understand
that it that same wave will someday crash upon us.
Family members that are cruising through pain, crisis, or
scandal become the flotsam and jetsam or our wicked plunder. We raid their lives for lunch time
entertainment. We judge and condemn
without compassion. Worse, we hide our scandalous
talk in the pretense of concern and care.
When it comes to family we have a DNA deep requirement of
love and compassion. We are to wield
heavy weapons for forgiveness and kindness.
It is our responsibility to be more forbearing.
It is my duty to put the true wellbeing of my family over my
desire to know the news. Further it is
my obligation to redirect dinner conversation that is feasting on the
misfortunes of others. I am to love my
family enough to be the lone voice of protection for them if necessary. I must love them enough to keep my own mouth
shut as well. I am to serve them not
serve them up as a feast for evil appetites.
The
Basin and the Towel – Michael Card
In an upstairs room, a parable is just about to come alive.
And while they bicker about who's best,
With a painful glance, He'll silently rise.
Their Savior Servant must show them how,
By the will of the water and the tenderness of the towel.
And the call is to community,
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
In humility, to take the vow,
That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.
In any ordinary place,
On any ordinary day,
The parable can live again
When one will kneel and one will yield.
Our Saviour Servant must show us how
Through the will of the water
And the tenderness of the towel.
And the space between ourselves sometimes
Is more than the distance between the stars.
By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow
We take up the basin and the towel.
And the call is to community,
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
In humility, to take the vow,
That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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