I recently found myself reading the book of Philemon. It's the third shortest book of the Bible with only one chapter and less than 30 verses. It's a strange inclusion in the "Cannon" of the Bible. So short, and really only about Paul sending Onesimus back to Philemon and wanting Philemon to prepare a place for Paul to come visit him.
But there is so much more in those 25 verses. Onesimus was a runaway slave - he had run away from Philemon, was caught and sent to prison... it just happened to be the prison where he would find Paul. There is a lot about Onesimus' salvation, which I'll save for my faith blog. My focus here is his appeal to Philemon to welcome back Onsesimus as a fellow man.
Paul charged Philemon to see the human value in his former slave. He charged him to not see him as a slave but as an equal - as someone as valuable has himself in the eyes of God. His charge includes the understanding that they are valuable to God and to each other.
Value each other.
Feel the weight of your friends, your colleagues, the stranger at the bank, in your world and know your value in theirs.
Someone's value is tied to the heart, the soul, the spirit.
Someone's usefulness is tied to a task or a thing.
We limit our humanity when we value others by their usefulness.
We build our humanity when we cherish the value of each other.
Showing posts with label understanding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label understanding. Show all posts
Monday, September 18, 2017
Monday, January 09, 2017
First Things: Be The Good
This weekend ended on a sad note for many in my circle of friends as a dear family lost their mother.
It reminds me that in the midst of this bizarre and often difficult world, what matters most is the mark we leave on someone's heart.
On my Facebook Page this weekend an old high school acquaintance left a scathing, judgmental, hate-filled comment on a post that was followed by an equally hateful comment from a current friend which lead me to take down the post and step away.
No matter what the circumstances are in your life, to an issue, in a conversation or in a battle, you can be the good that someone needs.
Be the good for a world in need.
Be the light that shines in the dark.
Be the hope that seeks to be found.
It reminds me that in the midst of this bizarre and often difficult world, what matters most is the mark we leave on someone's heart.
On my Facebook Page this weekend an old high school acquaintance left a scathing, judgmental, hate-filled comment on a post that was followed by an equally hateful comment from a current friend which lead me to take down the post and step away.
No matter what the circumstances are in your life, to an issue, in a conversation or in a battle, you can be the good that someone needs.
Be the good for a world in need.
Be the light that shines in the dark.
Be the hope that seeks to be found.
Labels:
goodness,
hope,
Ideas,
love,
Personal growth,
understanding
Monday, November 21, 2016
First Things: Finding your Ring Of Keys moment
Tuesday night we opened the musical Fun Home at the Fisher Theatre.
This is absolutely one of my favorite musicals because I can really relate to the main character, Alison, as she tells the story of her family, her coming out experience, and dealing with her father's closeted sexuality and the price it paid on their family.
Now, my story is different. To my knowledge neither of my folks had closeted sexuality issues - but we had / have many many issues... which is really the reason this musical resonates with so many people. Yes it's a coming out story, and yes the Bechdel's have specific issues, but what family does not have issues and to be honest, who doesn't have something they can relate to Alison's realization that she's gay? The story is quite universal when you boil it down to its base.
There is a song in the musical called Ring Of Keys. It is about young Alison's experience seeing what the script calls an "old school butch" walk into a diner and her immediate connection to her. She was 8, maybe 10 at the time. She didn't know that she was gay, probably didn't know that the woman she saw was gay, but she had an immediate, fulfilling, sense of herself.
In that moment she had the calm, heartening, acknowledgment of "I'm like her." There was someone in the world she could relate to and that was it. Ring Of Keys makes me cry every time I listen to it. I have had these moments, many times. Not just in a sexual way -but in a self-aware, reassuring, moment that this person I'm talking to, or I'm seeing, is LIKE ME. We are connected on a deeply human level and I know more about who I am because they exist at this moment, in this space, in my life.
There are a wealth of other things to talk about from this show. I could write for days. But this celebration of the human condition, of our connection with each other, of our need to see ourselves as a part of something greater than ourselves, as like our brothers and sisters, as not alone in the world... this gives me profound joy. It is cause for celebration. It is something to seek out, find and cherish.
And see Fun Home if you have not. It is the BEST show on our season this year and many people are going to pass it up because it is an unfamiliar name/story. Don't pass it up.
http://www.broadwayindetroit.com/shows/fun-home
This is absolutely one of my favorite musicals because I can really relate to the main character, Alison, as she tells the story of her family, her coming out experience, and dealing with her father's closeted sexuality and the price it paid on their family.
Now, my story is different. To my knowledge neither of my folks had closeted sexuality issues - but we had / have many many issues... which is really the reason this musical resonates with so many people. Yes it's a coming out story, and yes the Bechdel's have specific issues, but what family does not have issues and to be honest, who doesn't have something they can relate to Alison's realization that she's gay? The story is quite universal when you boil it down to its base.
There is a song in the musical called Ring Of Keys. It is about young Alison's experience seeing what the script calls an "old school butch" walk into a diner and her immediate connection to her. She was 8, maybe 10 at the time. She didn't know that she was gay, probably didn't know that the woman she saw was gay, but she had an immediate, fulfilling, sense of herself.
In that moment she had the calm, heartening, acknowledgment of "I'm like her." There was someone in the world she could relate to and that was it. Ring Of Keys makes me cry every time I listen to it. I have had these moments, many times. Not just in a sexual way -but in a self-aware, reassuring, moment that this person I'm talking to, or I'm seeing, is LIKE ME. We are connected on a deeply human level and I know more about who I am because they exist at this moment, in this space, in my life.
There are a wealth of other things to talk about from this show. I could write for days. But this celebration of the human condition, of our connection with each other, of our need to see ourselves as a part of something greater than ourselves, as like our brothers and sisters, as not alone in the world... this gives me profound joy. It is cause for celebration. It is something to seek out, find and cherish.
And see Fun Home if you have not. It is the BEST show on our season this year and many people are going to pass it up because it is an unfamiliar name/story. Don't pass it up.
http://www.broadwayindetroit.com/shows/fun-home