It was a difficult journey for me: leaving the fortress of intelligence and capability and control. We bossy oldest children struggle with this, I think in part, as we spend our early years being able to do what our younger siblings and cousins cannot. Parents and siblings alike turn to us to be helpful, to teach what we ourselves have learned, to be leaders.
So as real life comes along it is a slow and painful journey to understand we don't always have the answers, or the answers that worked for us may not work for someone we love. We are considered able on the job, but if we are wise, we learn to seek those who are knowledgeable and able and ask for them to instruct and teach us.
Even then, circumstances inevitably come when no one else can teach us enough or model enough or be wise enough to keep us from having to learn many things through the pain of making mistakes that affect ourselves and those we love. At such times we feel there is no hope: if we can't protect those we love, help those we love, how can life be endured?
Fortunately, we are not left to our own devices. Even more wonderful is this: those we love do not need to rely only on our finite capacity to help and coach and fix stuff. All of us: ourselves, our loved ones, the frail, fragile and floundering folks in the world around us, all of us have full, complete, total, utter access to a loving creator who longs to help us if we will only open ourselves to that possibility.
So I have come to love this verse from Corinthians 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. It is not a sin that I am less than perfectly wise and strong, bur rather it is part of God's plan that I might humbly turn to God for help in every trouble, learning to trust God's constancy and ability and willingness to pour good things into my life. Acknowledging my limitations is actually the path to a great capacity to do good in the name of and by the power of my Lord.
So, I've learned to be a little less certain of my understanding and more willing to be enlightened and empowered.
So as real life comes along it is a slow and painful journey to understand we don't always have the answers, or the answers that worked for us may not work for someone we love. We are considered able on the job, but if we are wise, we learn to seek those who are knowledgeable and able and ask for them to instruct and teach us.
Even then, circumstances inevitably come when no one else can teach us enough or model enough or be wise enough to keep us from having to learn many things through the pain of making mistakes that affect ourselves and those we love. At such times we feel there is no hope: if we can't protect those we love, help those we love, how can life be endured?
Fortunately, we are not left to our own devices. Even more wonderful is this: those we love do not need to rely only on our finite capacity to help and coach and fix stuff. All of us: ourselves, our loved ones, the frail, fragile and floundering folks in the world around us, all of us have full, complete, total, utter access to a loving creator who longs to help us if we will only open ourselves to that possibility.
So I have come to love this verse from Corinthians 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. It is not a sin that I am less than perfectly wise and strong, bur rather it is part of God's plan that I might humbly turn to God for help in every trouble, learning to trust God's constancy and ability and willingness to pour good things into my life. Acknowledging my limitations is actually the path to a great capacity to do good in the name of and by the power of my Lord.
So, I've learned to be a little less certain of my understanding and more willing to be enlightened and empowered.
RSS Feed
