June 26, 2006
Stones and Snakes
A past music minister grew weary of hearing church members request traditional music, hymns and accompaniment to be included during the worship service. With no attempt to hide his irritation his attitude spoke loudly, ‘OK, if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get.’ Digging up hymns that would have played well for an audience in the 17th century Baroque period, we sat through 30 minutes of music and songs in dirge-mode. Most, if not all of those in attendance, left the service with either a heavy or angry heart. Jesus said, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 7:9-12 NIV) Once you’ve eaten stones and snakes it’s not easy to get the taste out of your mouth.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Gail;
----As I spent years reassembling a life out of the charcoals and ashes of depression, I continously asked myself, "Where is the guardrail? Where is the safeguard against the anguish of dispare? It did not take me any time at all to intellectually learn that the truth is the guardrail and joy is the safeguard. But the learning of this into the depths of the heart where it must come alive and reproduce throughout the soul was a long process. Until that process was completed I had to walk with chalked out boundaries in my mind for guardrails, and imagination in my heart for safeguard.
----I was overly timid and shy as a young man. I did not want anyone to know me because then they would know my failures. If only I had understood that in being accepted in spite of your failures by those in whom Christ has grown mercy, one finds great joy. And that acceptance comes through the gifts that those merciful ones give - not gifts of money or things, but gifts of acknowledgement, validation, and simple warm-hearted kindness. Those are the gifts that impart joy to the heart which is attached to the mind that holds tightly to the truth. And to withhold the giving of those gifts from a brother is to fail to participate in the safeguarding of his eternal destiny by the simple bringing of some joy. We all have a responsibility to help each other maintain the joy of the heart. Surley God will require an accounting of everything we have (or have not)done!
Post a Comment