This is the first in a series of posts I am calling Connecting the Dots. A tool I use as part of my spiritual reflection is called The Grand Examen. In this exercise the first thing you do is take time to reflect on things you have been learning from a variety of sources. The next step is what I call "connecting the dots." You look for the themes, ideas, words, scriptures, etc. that seem to be running through your reflections. Today I want to look at some key words that have come up in my reflections from the past several months. These words are authentic, genuine and true. These words all have a similar meaning yet each lends it own nuances to my larger reflection. This is how I have defined each one of these words:
genuine - being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something authentic - conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief true - not pretended; sincerely felt or expressedI want to pause here for a moment to say that words are nothing more that a series of letters arranged in a specific way that have then had some meaning given to them - that is I am not as much intrigued by the words authentic, genuine and true as I am to the the idea or meaning that comes from them. A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a speaker and he was using a word to present an idea that for me based on how I defined the word was flawed. Half way through the presentation the speaker took the time to define what he meant by using the word and I then understood his context and the idea that he was getting across. This wasn't some unique or seldom used word, the word was "happiness." I share this story simply to show that when we use words we should also define what we mean by them. The context for these three words come from a number of books that I have been reading. The ideas presented were authentic presences, genuine presence, genuine ministry and true-self. The first, third and the last come from writings from or about Henri Nouwen and the second comes from a book by David Brenner. Over the next few weeks I will be exploring each of these ideas authentic/genuine presence, genuine ministry and true-self. Each of these ideas or topics feeds into our transformational process of becoming more like Jesus.
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV)In your own life have you taken the time to slow down and see what God is teaching you? What have you been reading about? What have you been hearing people say? What obstacles or opportunities have presented themselves to you? Write these things down and start connecting the dots.
No comments:
Post a Comment