Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalm 141 is this great prayer of protection, that covers all of my possible foibles. Watch my mouth and what I say, my heart and my intentions, let me be corrected if needed, let me not be swept up by the wicked. How is all of this possible? The psalmist concludes with the answer. My eyes are turned to you, and in you I seek refuge. Amen!
This morning’s reflection is about being careful to not presume different is better, that our standards are somehow better than others. For one thing, it’s presumptuous to think that we’ve got all the answers. And perhaps more tragic is that when we think our way is right, we miss all we can learn from others.
No one would intend to hurt the feelings of the people we’ll meet, but because things are so different from what we know and do, it’s hard not to quickly assess the differences and make judgements.
This past week has been a challenge. Yesterday, my sick loved one agreed to get much-needed medical care and will be away for some time. Their circumstances, what they know and do is so different from the way I see things, it’s hard not to quickly assess the differences and make judgements. There are countries and cultures that are much more accepting of the differences presented by this particular illness; they don’t see it as wrong or requiring fixing. It’s just different. That is not our country’s experience, nor is it my understanding. I’m not defending or advocating unsafe or illegal behavior. But how my loved one experiences the world is very different than I do. Am I deciding that different is worse?
This morning, I’m thinking about what I decide is acceptable and normal, both in other countries and in my home. I want to be exceedingly cautious to allow different to be different, but not necessarily better.
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