Cynthia Wilson, affectionately dubbed “Chaplain of Pop” has built a bridge between theology and popular culture as a blogger for twenty years providing commentary on faith,art, politics and music. Listen to her podcast by clicking the web version link at the bottom of this blog and at the top of the web version after the jump.
Friday, September 28, 2012
"Be a Blessing"
Perhaps one of the toughest challenges in our interactions with others,and there are many, is to not repay the harm another has done with the same,but instead repay them with a blessing. New testament scriptures which come to mind are Galatians 5:14: 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this;Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself and I Peter 3:8-11,"8...be like minded,be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with a blessing,because of this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue` from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek and pursue it (NIV). In the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18 states "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself";
I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that many have fallen short of the glory of god on this one. Getting even, making sure someone pays for doing you wrong and "tit for tat" can be tempting traps to fall into, if not simply perceived as the needed way to respond. In a world full of trouble, unexpected trials,unfair dealing, push and pull among factions for power and control, to do what is justified and timely to alleviate human suffering borne of war, and the constant strivings of the individual to come out ahead and ontop at the office, the political contest and other public forums is something with which we grapple continually. During this election season, the political ads are fired off with an intensity that makes you wonder if the insults and the tearing down would ever be replaced with a fuller examination of the issues and the candidates true value. Toss into the arena daily back and forths and casual spats among family members and serious slights and abuses which strangers and sometimes close friends hurl at one another either intentionally or unintentionally.
The Golden Rule which just about every religion and spiritual culture in the world has applied as a principal of ethical since ancient times, crossing the boundaries of religious practice and applied by world cultures to resolve issues,"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" needs to rain down on us today like a mighty cloudburst as it could stand broader and stauncher application today. A great number of prominent religious figures and philosophers have restated its reciprocal, "two-way" nature in various ways...1
The simple question, piercing in its accuracy is what will your ultimate act be,how will you respond when flashbacks of the bad things done to you by another i.e., the hurt, the inconvenience,trouble and trauma tugs on your heart and mind? When your heart strings, your compssion and natural inclination for decency spur you on to do good ,respond to the help for request and be a blessing. Will you pgive them a drink of water when they are thirsty? Or will you cut off the faucet as you reflect on the ugly things they have done to you? If they are hungry, do you share your food or instead close the pantry door and lock it up?
Pray to God for guidance as you work through the challenge and strive to"Be a blessing..."
In the words of the song "Go get it,go get your blessing...its your time. You can also be a blessing. Be a blessing. It's your time...
Cynthia Wilson
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1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule
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