Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.
I’ve never fully understood this little bit. It follows the “no one lights a lamp and puts it under bushel”, which I do understand. But my daily little practice of sitting with and thinking about morning prayer is delightful in forcing me, or inciting me to focus on the bits I don’t get. To struggle and think about those parts.
Thanks again to the translation from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, I have a glimpse of understanding. He explains that effectively the light from the lamp is the word of God that shines everywhere; is heard everywhere. Be careful that when you hear it, you don’t try to hide it, like a light stuck under a bushel. Don’t be stingy about the Good News. Rather, share it.
Sharing it spreads the light, and makes more light, just like one candle’s light spreads to another candle to another, and it doesn’t diminish the light from the first. But if you take that same single candle, and don’t share it, but put it under a basket, eventually it goes out. From those who have some sharing light, more light is created. For those who have hoarded light, the light eventually goes out.
This morning, I’m thinking about hoarding gifts from God rather than sharing them. When I reserve love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, when I do these things, I feel constricted. I feel like I’m cold and prickly inside. Sometimes I do it for what feels like the right reasons. When I’m exhausted. When I don’t feel like I have anything left to give. When I’m angry, or frustrated at the another person or at circumstances we all find ourselves. Sometimes in those moments, I respond more like a turtle, tucking everything in, for what cognitively seems like self-preservation.
But my heart knows this is not true, nor effective. When I love, have compassion, show kindness, forgiveness, mercy, share the Good News, I feel warm and fuzzy inside, even if I’m exhausted, angry or frustrated.
There’s much in my world right now that’s frustrating, and anger-inducing. Today, I want to share the love, mercy, and kindness I have been given and shown, even when I don’t feel like it.
To those who have, more will be given.
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