Another provocative set of considerations, Andrew. As always, many thanks. My own improvisations this morning on this chord chart led me to this. For fear of messing up relationships, especially the one with our triune Creator, we set up rules and regulations to prevent that. That's how many read Paul, especially in the elegant wording of the King James Version. But I think anything done from fear in fact messes things up. It is not until our Creator's courting love overwhelms us with mercy and grace, with forgiveness and reconciliation, that we can recognize the mind of Christ already at work within and through us. Such humility, inspired and instructed by example of Jesus' embodiment of justice with kindness, refocuses our attention to the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness in which our Creator seeks to compose our contributions to the world one conversation or one tap step after another.
Yes! Your thoughts bring to mind a destructive cycle beginning with rule setting, the conforming to those rules, leading to ultimately hiding our true experience of ourselves and others – essentially lying, all because of fear. Ultimately destroying the possibility for authentic relationship (especially with God). Thanks for sharing!
Another provocative set of considerations, Andrew. As always, many thanks. My own improvisations this morning on this chord chart led me to this. For fear of messing up relationships, especially the one with our triune Creator, we set up rules and regulations to prevent that. That's how many read Paul, especially in the elegant wording of the King James Version. But I think anything done from fear in fact messes things up. It is not until our Creator's courting love overwhelms us with mercy and grace, with forgiveness and reconciliation, that we can recognize the mind of Christ already at work within and through us. Such humility, inspired and instructed by example of Jesus' embodiment of justice with kindness, refocuses our attention to the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness in which our Creator seeks to compose our contributions to the world one conversation or one tap step after another.
Yes! Your thoughts bring to mind a destructive cycle beginning with rule setting, the conforming to those rules, leading to ultimately hiding our true experience of ourselves and others – essentially lying, all because of fear. Ultimately destroying the possibility for authentic relationship (especially with God). Thanks for sharing!