Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Greatest Debt owed to all by all, might bring peace and justice

A few weeks ago there was a political jostling on the issue of raising the "debt ceiling".  I called my son who is much better about finances than me and he tried to explain to me that we have to do that so our credit will remain good.  I was a bit puzzled and told him that I was.  My puzzlement was that if I raised my debt ceiling I would have less credibility and if I decreased my debt I would have more.  I think he told me that I was right but that we had to do this wrong thing or something bad would happen.  Interesting?

Today, I was reflecting on debt. I was reminded of a verse in Romans 13 which is interestingly enough a passage that deals with the relationship of citizenry to their government.  Verse 8 says:  "Let no debt remain outstanding except the ongoing debt to love one another".  What if we were to raise this debt ceiling and all of us took this seriously.  What if in America everyone eliminated all their debt but increased their sense of owing everyone "love and compassion".  What if that love was unconditional and free of any agenda: political, economic, social, religious or personal?  What if instead of owning things we focused on owing to all people love and care.   The true debt and the only debt we should be servicing is the debt to love one another.

Maybe just maybe their might be peace and justice on earth.  Maybe even our economy would improve because our energy was in the right place.

Maybe if we did the right thing something good would happen?


originally posted on
paraklein.blogspot.com

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Meek will inherit the earth

Posted this on www.parakalein.blogspot.com and decided it is foundational to peace.

The way of peace is the way of meekness.Years ago I took this be-attitude to mean that if I kept my mouth shut, suffered for Jesus, let people trample me under foot, in the end I will get the "well done" and not only get eternal happiness but also I will get to rule the earth.  Today I have one word for that, "Really"!

I see that position or understanding as feeding the ego, depleting honesty, and ruining the church.  It is not about getting power over.  It is about being empowered from the inside out.  It is about speaking out with courage, calmness and compassion toward all even those who would persecute or undermine you.  It is not power of over others it is power to be the authentic person you are and to see God work through that authenticity and audacity.

The meek are not the quiet mousey people that harbor inner angst or anger just waiting for their turn to rule.

The meek are the strong, opinionated, capable, assertive, and aggressive people who have no agenda to control and who can with unconditional love surrender their power without malice toward anyone and can exert their power with charity toward everyone.  The reason the meek will inherit the earth is they are then ones who have been given f=great power but refused to use that power to fulfill their own agendas or to abuse or misuse anyone regardless of how tight they might have been.  Might does not make right in this spiritual system.  Might is willing to sacrifice its power.  Right rules might.  In the kingdom only those who have been meek can be trusted to rule in a Godly way.  In the way of righteousness, might surrenders to right!  

Power is not about exerting control over others it is about being in control of one's human self.  Similarly the divine self is in control from the inside. 

Omnipotence is all powerful from within not over those without.  Guess I am a little still on that from yesterday's blog.  I will control myself and let that be all folks.