Members One of Another

The Women's Bible Study of the Church on the Street Where I live is studying the Beatitudes. This is a group of highly educated woman who also are willing to listen for the living word of the Spirit and to speak from their hearts. I always learn and leave these gatherings refreshed, excited and renewed in Spirit.

Last month they listened as I rambled on "Greatly Honored are the Pure at Heart", and this week we studied "Greatly Honored are the Peacemakers".
I read from James

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason,willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. 18 And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Emphasis  -open to reason, willing to yield- mine.

The next morning at a community gathering a Circle member asked to speak with me and with a full and open heart asked me how am I able to be open to reason, how to yield when  your community and congregation seem to hold beliefs different than your own. 


How to be willing to yield when you know you are right.


I listened and prayed and we talked.


If I have to make a choice between kindness and being right, I choose kindness.
Right and wrong are judgement statements and it's not my job to judge. Thank God!
I can think of many times I have been judged by others and how it made me feel, especially when I felt I was wrongly judged.
So in community with others, friends and enemies, first I hold the commandment to love all beings as I love God, and when this seems impossibly hard, I can think I how would feel if I was told I was wrong.


I'd rather be in relationship than be right. Only in relationship can we continue to hear each other and be open to the everyday miracles of hearing anew, changing our minds.


There is no end to how big our hearts can grow when we can stay open to each other no matter what words we profess to believe.

I'm grateful for this community I find myself a part of, learning, listening, freedom to speak and worship openly,prayer and acceptance. Faith too.


Comments and prayer requests always welcomed.