Monday, January 30, 2012

We got the poison, He got the remedy...


“...with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love”
-Ephesians 4:2

~***~

There is a sickness of sorts,
a malaise of mind,
sometimes of body,
the cure for which is offered freely,
but can be very difficult to swallow...
even when one is aquainted with the Heart of the Healer:

...It is our (my) very human tendency as very human beings to fixate on others' failings,
instead of focusing on the forgiveness offered for our own.

It is the difference between bitter and sweet waters;
we can be toxic waste or an oasis,
a seat of judgement or a Mercy seat.

We can finger where others are and where we think they should be,
or we can live knowing "but for the grace of God, there go I."

We can live liberated, liberating lives
or we can exist oblivious to our chains forged in contempt for our fellow man.

We can ignore our logs and pick at splinters
we can shift focus from ourselves to the other thief on the cross
we can rejoice in the incremental difference we gleefully perceive
between our brokenness and that of our traveling companions,
that thing that makes our brokenness look just a little less broken...

...or...

We ( I ) can acknowledge, and find freedom in the acknowledgement,
that we are all at the mercy of a merciful God...
all inexplicably esteemed as treasures in His trove,
equal parts  prodigal and prized,
ruffian and royalty...
...We can remember, and relax in the remembering,
that --Thank God -- His economy is different than ours,
His estimation of worth -- our own and that of the one we feel justified in judging -- is based on what He was willing to pay for us.

So the next time we find ourselves doling out damnation,
treating ourselves to the anesthetic, the incomparable intoxicating cocktail of Self-righteousness and Superiority,
May we see on that person the pricetag
placed there by Providence
May we see them as He sees them
as priceless...
as deeply Loved
and in so doing, may we see ourselves clearly,
fearlessly,
as priceless,
as deeply Loved,
and in turn,
be Healed.

"Judge not, lest you be judged."
-Matthew 7:1

~***~

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful, as always. Wish I could truly take it to heart; have been struggling since before Christmas and this past month, I know that I'm not right in the head (in the heart), and I just keep praying about it, hoping the mood will change.
    Love to you,
    Linda

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  2. g'mornin' Linda, hey Mary.... <3

    thanks for these comments, guys...I was a little tenuous about hitting the publish button on this one....for fear that the post itself smacked of "judgement", sounded a little self-righteous.....as though I have this issue all figured out (insert raucous laughter of the angels here...) ; )

    ...anyway, I was worrying over the verbage, so your feedback gave me a little exhale, that I came across the way I wanted to come across....so thanks, y'all, you guys are always good mirrors for me...

    love back atcha both,
    Liz <3

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  3. a million times YES to this!
    Yes indeed.
    thanks for this nourishing steak of a post,
    tender
    and juicy
    and seasoned with just the zest
    and stuff
    of living
    that makes it a really good chew:)
    BIG thanks....I feel stronger.
    I love the feeling of reading good protein:)
    -Jennifer

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  4. As a Deacon at our
    church, I have the
    privilege of helping
    the clergy serve
    communion. When
    I offer the cup I look
    right at the church
    member as I say the
    words and sometimes
    it makes me want to
    cry.....I see the child
    in each of them, from
    young, where it is easy,
    to old; from happy to
    bitter, I still see that
    little one in there. I
    imagine that is how
    God sees US. If I could
    keep that vision at all
    times, it would surely
    keep things in perspective,
    as you so eloquently write.
    But, since I'm human, it's
    always a struggle.

    Thank you for this!

    Hugs,
    xx Suzanne

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  5. I *love* this perspective, Suzanne....what a beautiful thing to practice.....thanks for the gold you always bring to the table...

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  6. Hi Liz, I found you on my sister's blog, and hope you don't mind that I too follow your posts that gives us so much to think about...Blessings as you continue to let Our Abba use you...hugs

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  7. I love that wall of signs - what an encouragement.

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