It has happened to all of us and none of us like it – being ignored. Someone stands you up or is late for an appointment. You try to get involved in a group conversation but no one is listening. You feel overlooked as someone is chosen instead of you for a promotion. Somehow you […]
Would the person who knows you best in the world describe you as tolerant? That person is you by the way! Maybe there’s a mixed view among others who know you. Perhaps there are some things you do tolerate and others that you simply do not. We tend to be more tolerant with our own weaknesses than those of others. If you were a Bird of Paradise flower, Banana plant or Rubber tree, the chances are that you would not tolerate life in a temperate climate but would require the tropical temperatures provided by a hothouse! When you think about it, much of life is about discovering the tolerances of materials and of people. Metal is tested to its breaking point and fluids are tested for flash points. This is how we learn and can set safety standards. What about you? Do you know your breaking point and flash points for your own safety?!
The world is heating up. Do you wonder why? There are lots of culprits that are cited – cars, carbon and cows could begin the list. Perhaps it could justly continue with politicians, population and pride. Will the list end with the greed of nations, peoples and individuals like us, like you, like me? Are we bringing it upon ourselves and find we cannot change our all-consuming behaviour that devours not only the earth’s resources but all those ‘others’ who stand in the way of our corporate and personal consumption? Can it be any surprise that there are consequences from personal, national and world behaviour? It’s no good eye-balling the next cow you meet and trying to shift the responsibility on to her because of our milk or meat consumption! The world is heating up and we all have to consider our personal responsibility. Young people and scientists are sounding the alarm – it is a wake-up call in more ways that we might imagine.
When does life begin and when does it end? What is life? The answers to these fundamental questions present problems to ethicists, moralists, scientists, politicians and even Christians. Is the life of someone with a learning disability of any less value than a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize? Should someone in a coma have their life-support machine left turned on when there are few signs of life? Why do the majority of human beings cling to life but some want to abandon it? Is it still ‘life’ for a homeless person? An amputee? A person with a terminal illness? An elderly resident in a care home with dementia? The questions here get to the attitudes, values and beliefs that are at the core of your being. Have your thoughts shifted on abortion and euthanasia or do you have clear views on what is still ‘life’? A bowl of fruit such as this contains few answers but such ‘still life’ has inspired countless artists.
What do you see in this picture? How might you associate it with the title? Which way are you already thinking? Your answers to those three questions could be revealing your inner thoughts, perceptions and prejudices! Some things lurk in the alleyways of our minds that we wish did not so we keep them locked up as we do not want others to know they live in our ‘zoo’! We tend to make assessments based on limited information and on inner biases rather too quickly. If you look again, you will be able to see five water fowl that resemble adolescent ducklings but are in fact cygnets preening themselves, not fully aware that they are in process of becoming beautiful swans. Hans Christian Andersen wrote ‘The Ugly Duckling’ in 1843 – what do you remember about it?
It is a curious thing that plants can heal but they can also kill! Basil can cure itches, Sage is good to gargle for sort throats and Mint can be helpful for upset tummies. No wonder then that you will find these in many gardens. Other plants such as Mistletoe, Poinsettia and Aconitum (known as Monksfoot or Wolf’s Bane) can be fatal. They can look so pretty but are less welcome guests in gardens. A weed is defined as a plant in the wrong place – does your garden have any?! Why is it that plants which grow so easily are often unwanted – Bind Weed, Knotweed and Ground Elder? It just takes a tiny root from these plants to spread into a thick mattress that strangles – a bit like bitterness! It’s a root that is very hard to get out and is also very destructive.
Have you ever been tempted to define yourself by your failure rather than by the grace of God? When that thought comes, you need to deal with it quickly or it threatens to ruin not just your day but your life! The Bible is a frank record of those who failed but began again through the grace of God – take Peter, Thomas and Paul for example. Whether your failure is caused by wrong actions, wrong belief or wrong deeds, God’s grace is enough as it was for each one of these examples. Quotes from famous people tend to major on what we can learn from failure with the incentive that if we’ve never failed then we’ve never tried. Whilst there’s truth in this, some failure for a Christian can cripple them and rot the soul – at that point, only God’s Word can rehabilitate and heal the soul:
Like all the good gifts from God our Father, forgiveness is something we need and something we must share. You could apply that to most things – our time, our money, our love … our smile!
At their request, Jesus gave his disciples a model prayer, which included asking ‘our Father in Heaven’ to ‘forgive us our sins . . .’ followed immediately by ‘. . . as we forgive those who sin against us.’ (Matthew 6:12). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, echoed Jesus’ words from the cross as he was stoned to death for his faith: ‘Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing!’ (Acts 7:60). The parable of the unforgiving servant ends with the sobering words ‘if you do not forgive neither will you be forgiven’ (Matthew 18:35).
This little guy represents all of us – he knows he’s been found out, it’s weighing heavy on him and he’s pleading for mercy! Which way will those scales weigh – mercy or justice? How do they weigh for you?
‘“My friend” resumed the Bishop, “before you go, here are your candlesticks. Take them.”… Jean Valjean was trembling in every limb. He took the two candlesticks mechanically, and with a bewildered air. “Now,” said the Bishop, “go in peace.
