Be a Hero

"Hero recounts rescue of two girls from icy Edmonton river"

(Edmonton, March 31, 2013)

Good news for a change. Amazing news - a man and his dog risk their lives to save two little girls whose sled had slid down onto the river ice. With little thought for his own safety Adam Shaw pulled one little girl from the water, fell in himself, got out and, with help from his dog, pulled the second girl to safety. The lives of those two girls, their family and their friends will never be the same as a consequence of Adam's actions. What a gift to give - as the Gospel of John states, "greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15.13). How much more so when it is for complete strangers.

"Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words"

(St. Francis of Assisi)

This statement, attributed to St. Francis, is a reminder that our actions are often experienced as the clearest proclamation of our heart. It is one thing to state that little girls in icy rivers should be saved; it is another thing altogether to be in the frigid water with them. What Adam did was a very pure and true example of living out the Gospel - that is, living and expressing faith through actions of healing and renewal. Perhaps our world needs a little less pontificating, a few less sermons, a reduction of lectures, and a whole lot more local heroes feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, visiting the sick or imprisoned... (see Matthew 25). As I've mentioned in past posts, the simple, day-to-day kindness and compassion that we exercise fulfills all that Christ asked of us (see Mark 12).

Such healing and re-creation can be experienced when each of us acts according to our abilities, in light of the need before us, with boldness and courage. Some of this renewal will be revealed in public ways, such as Adam's life-saving rescue on Sunday. Much of the wholeness of our world, however, will unfold in more subtle ways - building bridges through forgiveness, acceptance, and the growing of respect; recognizing our own prejudice and choosing to see beyond it; paying back evil with good (see 1st Peter 3). 

In light of the voice of the Old Adam/Old Eve, being a local hero presents some challenges. There will be times we will want to turn our back on the needs of others; sometimes it will be inconvenient to act out the Gospel, and some Christ-like actions frankly go against popular opinion and personal belief. But there you have it - that narrow path; if we are to be true to ourselves as creatures of God then we jump into the chilly waters, face the raging rapids and stretch our hand out to the weak, the vulnerable, the needy. 

So be a hero today: forgive someone, encourage someone, help change a tire, buy a cup of coffee, pull a child from the frozen waters of a swollen spring river... every act of kindness, seen or unseen, makes you a hero to someone :-)

I leave the last word to singer/philanthropist, Mariah Carey:

“when you feel like hope is gone,

look inside you and be strong

and you'll finally see the truth

that hero lies in you.” 

(Mariah Carey)

In the cold waters with you,

Pastor Bill

The storm swells

winds rage

waves pound

a light beams

into darkness

hope

strength

safety

God's light

shines

through

you

Beam brightly

pray

breathe

laugh

[First published April 3, 2013]

Falling Down .... and Getting Back Up

“You are so weak. Give up to grace.

The ocean takes care of each wave till it gets to shore.

You need more help than you know.” 

(Rumi)

Have you ever been down on yourself, heard the voice of self-judgment whispering in your ear? It happens to me sometimes and I think, "what a useless lout am I!" Try as I might I am not as gentle or as patient or as self-disciplined or as strong as I want to be. I would like to be what I know I am capable of, but I have not grown to that place yet. Like a toddler  who can crawl and sees the potential for running and leaping and dancing, but after a few faltering steps falls to the floor. That's me. I know about running, leaping and dancing, but I have barely mastered crawling and standing. 

I need to be patient with me; that too is a challenge. Growing into who God intends for us to be is a slow and careful journey. It takes time for God's Love to sand down the rough edges, to smooth away the unnecessary bits; it takes time for experience to ferment into wisdom. Sometimes it seems I am more bits and less wisdom, but that is just the Old Adam talking, the unhelpful voice of the ego. It is always harassing me, telling me I am not good enough. That voice has forgotten about my roots, my origin, my source.

When I am berated by that dark inner voice I go back to the beginning of my story - way back, past my birth, past my parent's births - way, way back. To humanity's birth. There, in the womb of the world God breathed ruach, the Spirit of God's essence into humanity to give us life. Upon our being was imprinted the very mark of God for we were made in God's image. When I become despondent about myself, or about humanity and its ills I go back to Genesis 1 and 2. I go back to the beginning where Love says to me, and to you - "you are made like Me; you are intentionally created full of wonder, full of potential that you have not begun to explore... I look upon you and you are good."

I crawl, I stand, I fall. Again and again. But each falling is a learning, and God never leaves my side, Love's strong words of encouragement filling my ears, urging me to stand again, take another step. So I take a deep breath and go out into the world today. I'm only crawling, but even crawling is a wonder and I trust Genesis 1; I am made like God, full of the power of Love, full of creative potential, and desperately wanting to realize what it means to be a human being crafted by God's hands, filled with God's breath and powered by God's Love.

Falling sucks, but in the falling I am learning about being God's. I am learning about forgiveness, about being held in God's heart; I am learning about something beautiful within me that is slowly growing and glowing and unfolding. I don't know if you can relate to all this rambling, but if you've ever fallen you may understand how deeply we need to hear Love's voice giving us the encouragement to get up, try again, to believe in who made us and the awesome purpose that is our reason for being in this world. We are here to reflect God, to reveal Love, to be healers, builders, creators, renewers. Despite the dark voice, despite grief and disappointment, despite the pain of landing on my butt one more time - I choose to do my best today and to strive ahead, even with faltering steps.

To all you who have fallen,

You have my compassion.

I leave the last word to the Psalmist:

"When I consider your heavens,

    the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

    which you have set in place,

what is humankind that you are mindful of them,

    human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels

    and crowned them with glory and honor.

You made them rulers over the works of your hands;

    you put everything under their feet"

(Psalm 8)

Boldly standing with you,
Pastor Bill

reach up

a hand

reaches for you

a strong hand

holding you

steadying you

a hand

of freedom

safety

love

Breathe

walk

dance

[First published March 27, 2013]