Development

Gracists

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Last month I had a conversation that left me with a feeling I didn’t want and, for sure, didn’t see coming. A few weeks later while attending a community event one speaker mentioned moral injury. And that feeling suddenly had a name. Check out this video to learn more about it.

This incident led me to intentionally choose to read several YouVersion devotional plans addressing the topic of racism. One of those was based on David Anderson’s book Gracism. Day 3 of that plan was very helpful, so I want to share this segment from that devotional:

From 1 Corinthians 12, I have identified eight principles or sayings that can guide us as we develop as gracists. These sayings lead us to actions that we can engage in to build bridges across the deepest divides of color, class, and culture. As you meditate on these verses, look for each of the eight sayings listed below.

  1. I will lift you up. “Special honor” means lifting up the humble among us.
  2. I will cover you. “Special modesty” means protecting the most vulnerable among us from embarrassment.
  3. I will share with you. “No special treatment” means refusing to accept special treatment if it is at the detriment of others who need it.
  4. I will honor you. “Greater honor” means God, as a gracist, has given greater honor to the humble.
  5. I will stand with you. “No division” means when the majority helps the minority, and the stronger helps the weaker (gracism), it keeps us from division within the body (an opposite view than normal).
  6. I will consider you. “Equal concern” means having a heart as big for our neighbors as we do for ourselves.
  7. I will celebrate with you. “Rejoices with it” means when the humble, or less honorable, are helped, we are to rejoice with them.
  8. I will heal with you. “Suffers with it” means empathizing with the pain of another and walking empathetically with the injured party.

To connect with that day of the plan, follow this link: Gracism: The Art of Inclusion – Day 3 of 5

Here’s to our collective development as Gracists.

A New Pair of Glasses

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Last September I saw an eye doctor. My bifocals didn’t seem to be cutting it in all circumstances. He confirmed. Nothing major, but a slight change to my lens prescription. 

Made me think about the next-to-last time I saw an eye doctor. I didn’t realize how much I needed bifocals until I tried on my brother-in-laws’ in order to read the inscription on his daughter’s high school class ring. It was crazy how much clearer I could see small details. I had no idea what I was missing.

The truth to having no idea what I’ve been missing seems to magnify daily. Three times this week I had conversations about a project I’m involved with where I find myself shaking my head. “How did I end up here?”

Most of the time that question carries a regretful or sorrowful tone. That’s not the case at all in this instance. No, it’s more like, “If you’d told me five years ago I’d be involved in this project, I’d thought you were out of your mind.” I told someone this week that 15 years ago the answer would have been, “Absolutely not!”

What’s changed? I see things differently. For reasons that don’t need to be explained, my vision has changed. Call it growth, personal development, or broader understanding, I’m able to contribute in ways I wasn’t capable five or fifteen years ago. And very much like my physical eyes, I had no idea what I was missing.

How about you? What are you doing today that you weren’t capable of doing five years ago? What experiences or influences have broadened your vision to sit with those you couldn’t sit with fifteen years ago? Who might you need to thank for figuratively giving you a new pair of glasses?

Photo by David Travis on Unsplash

Bring On The Hope!

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I’m giving myself a double dose of hope these days in my reading. First, with this book…

Second, with a youversion reading plan by Paul De Jong entitled “Now Hope.”

This quote stood out to me in my reading today:

The level of hope we have today is an indicator of the level of character we’ve developed.

He believes that based on Romans 5:3-4 where Paul wrote that “tribulation produces, perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

We don’t like it, but we know it’s true. So what if we decided to like it? Like spinach. I didn’t like spinach as a kid. Now, I’m a fan. My taste buds have developed.

Given the right time and attention, we can choose to embrace hard times. Rather than run or sulk or wallow, we can declare, “I’m all in for whatever is about to be developed. Bring on the character. Bring on the hope!”

Photo by Paolo Bendandi on Unsplash