While it’s a slow process based on creating a relationship fully broken and fully whole, we now live in a constant state of asking our mis- sion question: “Does love live here?” And if it does, can we eliminate the need to determine who is deserving of or who receives God’s grace in an all-embracing welcome?
Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you We’ve all heard it plenty of times. It’s a fast
quip, giving us a wealth of ethical material packed into one line. No wonder it has achieved golden status. Maybe we should even think of a platinum pro- motion for this adage. But before we do that, let’s stop and think about how we even got this golden rule. T e idea of doing unto others isn’t new. Wisdom litera- ture across all religious tradi- tions has some version of the rule. One popular understand- ing seems to have been the silver version, kind of “don’t do to others what you yourself don’t want done to you.” Jesus also expanded on this principle, once in Matthew 7 and again in
“Do to others” comes from. As we’ve seen this adage expand over time, I would
like to propose another expansion: “Do unto others as they want done unto them.” Perhaps we should be ask- ing the people we engage with how they would like to be treated and go from there. But no
matter how this adage is changed, it will remain the golden rule for a reason. For it asks us
Author bio: Amanda (Amy) Diller is a recent graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and will be serving as a pastoral resident at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa.
It compels us to place
ourselves in their shoes.
to think of how we are treating other people. It compels us to place ourselves in their shoes and gain understanding before we act.
God must have needed
another angel I don’t under-
stand. Are these words of comfort? Really? So what
you’re saying is that God couldn’t handle being There really
isn’t anything you can say
God so God had to recruit a little help? And my son was just the right person for the job so God took him from me? Sorry, but I’ve got some big problems with that. “God must have needed another angel” would be on
that will make that pain go away.
Luke 6. T is is where the more familiar
my top 10 list of things not to say to a grieving parent. When my son, Max, died more than two years ago, my family experienced all kinds of responses. T e major- ity of them have been beautiful and have carried us through the darkest times. But occasionally someone will throw us a zinger. T is statement is one of them. Yes, the Bible speaks of angels, but not in the way this statement infers. Angels were and are messengers of God, extensions of the Spirit if you will, rather than repurposed people. I’m in the deepest pain that a parent could ever expe-
rience. T ere really isn’t anything you can say that will make that pain go away. I know you love me and want my pain gone. But don’t try. No, really, don’t try to take my pain away—live in it with me. You don’t need to say anything. Just be with me in my grief instead of trying to use words to cheer me up. Being is better than words. However, do I believe Max had angelic qualities?
Absolutely. Does God’s Spirit remind me regularly that Max is always with me? You bet. Is Max resurrected with Christ? A resounding yes.
Author bio: Tom Schwolert is a coach and trainer at Vibrant Faith, a youth and family ministry based in Naugatuck, Conn.
July 2015 19
©ISTOCK/TWOHUMANS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52