Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. ~From Romans 12.
.It is hard to know just what is done with each person through joy and suffering. All of us are on the edge of faith at all times, no matter what we have been through. A person can come to to a certain kind of understanding and perhaps to a greater heart acceptance of others, but it’s still hard to live it. We have seen the refining that can take place, the growth of understanding. Perhaps people can learn and grow from being with one another, if our heart is open to it.
I don’t know. I don’t know how these things work…but, it seems that if our heart is open to caring about one another, that our heart would stand greater chance of remaining open. And the Holy Spirit can work with an open heart.
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✜
There’s a wonderful interview in Image Journal with writer Marilynne Robinson, who says that a way toward openness is to understand that “in every encounter [with another human being] you are indeed dealing with an image of God,” that “you are dealing with somebody whom Christ is waiting to forgive”. As she added, it’s a “demanding” ethic and yet unquestionable theologically. Reading that just opened for me a space that I’d felt had been constricting.
Is that accessible online?
Work stress makes it harder for me to do the heart acceptance at times.
Stress, hurry, and when someone is rude…that’s when it’s hard for me.
Well said, Davis.
I really like that photo, by the way :-)
The one with the long braid was Casey Jane when she was younger, along with a friend in Indiana.
I try to be a caring person and most of the time I am successful. It’s those times that I can not bring myself to do the right thing that I need the Holy Spirit to open my heart.
You are so right. We need the Holy Spirit. I am so glad that you said this.
Thank You, God. Thank Yoy for being in us.
I wish I has something more constructive than Amen to say but, Amen.
Thank you, Owen.