A Young Friend's Wisdom

God gives wisdom to the young as well as the old.

Alex Haney with blue wig
along with Kathleen & Marcus

A young friend reminded me of some important truths today . . . the value of acceptance and submission as well as of struggle and holding fast.

Acceptance of others . . . submission to decisions we do not like from those who have the right to decide . . . struggle to understand . . . holding fast to what is true of our own faith while engaging other traditions, other faiths with their own truth claims.

God sends us messengers all the time, if we but have ears to hear, and today is a messenger day for me.

Being passionate about the truths I hold so dear, I can easily forget that others share the same passion, if not the same vision.

Working together in a community like church is challenging.  There are and will always be differing voices, differing concerns.

Discerning when it is time to keep quiet and when it is time to speak out, when it is time to persist and when it is time to submit are on-going struggles for me, particularly when it comes to church.

Granting others the value of their voice, hearing their concerns and even their fears not as stumbling blocks but as opportunities, wisdom begins, as always, with love. . . concrete rather than abstract . . . down-in-the-trenches with each other love . . . knowing-each-other-just-as-we-are love . . .

These are the percolating thoughts as I read Alex’s e-mail and wonder at his wisdom.  His challenge takes me to the place of renewal . . . renewal of commitment . . . renewal of love . . . love for those with whom I am in community. . . and for that, I am so very, very grateful.

Thank you, Alex, for reminding an old pastor how important it is to honor others.