MOIRAJO
  • Weekly Devotionals
  • Weekly Message
  • Sermon Podcasts
  • Links
  • Contact

"Overcoming Rudeness"

2/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
"And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ...Luke 15:11-32"


  LISTEN TO: " 
If You Give a Little Love You Can Get a Little Love of Your Own"
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_JAlTxc1k4

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.  
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "

As part of our 2019 resolution to become more Christ-like, we continue our walk through Paul's inspired passage on love.  Paul breaks down for us what Love does, just as Jesus models for us in his actions and teachings how love acts and reacts in the world.  Today we meditate on the the bad habit of being rude and how it gets in the way of love.


Who remembers ten years ago when an unknown frumpy-looking,middle-aged lady from Scotland appeared on "Britain's Got Talent"?  As she shared her dreams, the camera pans the audience, focuses on the judges' reactions.  People were rolling their eyes. Smirking. Having a laugh at her expense.  When Susan Boyle began to sing the tables were turned.  People were on their feet clapping.  And Susan Boyle  (who has gone on to a successful international singing career) very graciously accepted the response.  She was used to being bullied.  But her talent, her faith and training to be polite and gracious won the day.  (See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk)

Sadly rudeness has encroached on our daily lives.  Have you ever heard someone be rude under the guise of "telling it like it is?" People hog seats on the train, carry on conversations on their cellphone while you're trying to rest or concentrate.  Drivers weave in and out of traffic -- cut in closely without signaling.  Sometimes there's an edge to our voice. People interrupt when someone else is speaking. Those emails --- that are snide and provocative.  We forget to say Thank you or show appreciation for other's efforts or gifts.  

Think of our passage from Luke, the Prodigal Son.  I like to call this passage "the Rudest Brothers: Which One Is Worse?".  Younger brother demands his inheritance from his father, who is far from death's door.  How insensitive is that! 
Unheard of!  The young fellow takes his money and leaves his family, and spends the inheritance on loose living--ignoring his spiritual inheritance in the process. When the young 
man comes to his senses and returns home -- apologizing to his father -- it's older brother's turn to be rude. He refuses to join the party, although he know how much his father wants him there. He cares nothing for his younger brother, and is unyielding in his judgment.   Both boys think only of themselves, their own situations.  They don't hesitate to tell their father what they believe, no matter how much it will hurt dad.  This is not how Jesus calls us to be!  Look at the father.  He doesn't return insult for insult -- with either son.  He waits. No doubt he prays every day. He checks the horizon.  He runs (unheard of for a dignified man of means!)  He embraces his wayward son. He forgives him.  He welcomes him back like a prince. When his elder son lashes out at him, he responds patiently, lovingly.  With both sons, he doesn't force his point of view -- he allows each son his free will. He seeks reconciliation.  That's the opposite of rudeness!  Yet, how many people would see this father as a "wimp," and not be able to recognize the strength and depth of his love?


Being rude is a sign of spiritual immaturity -- it's linguistic roots come from the word "rudis:" "unformed," inexperienced," or "unpolished."  In our ignorance we believe what we have to say is more important than someone's feelings.   There is a place and time for being blunt. But it must be handled with prayer and care.  We are called to cultivate kindness in speech, courtesy, and tact.  It's learning to balance the impact of your words and actions on others. It's learning to live like the father of those two rascals in Luke's parable -- a man experienced in love, formed by patience, and well polished -- he deals with the conflict with both sons in a way that his actions and words are healing and gracious. How many of us could overlook the offense given this father -- and continue to respond with such loving kindness?  When we are tempted to rudeness, or to react rudely to someone else's behavior,  let us reach for the higher spiritual ground --  and let loving graciousness rule the day!



PRAY: "O God, may my words and actions be courteous and helpful"

0 Comments

"Shedding Arrogance"

2/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18:9-14


LISTEN TO: Bob Marley, "One Love,"  
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoIPBdxhg04

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.  
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "


As part of our 2019 resolution to become more Christ-like, we continue our walk through Paul's inspired passage on love.  
Paul breaks down for us what Love does, just as Jesus models for us in his actions and teachings how love acts and reacts 
in the world.  Today we reflect on arrogance and how it gets in the way of love.  


Arrogance makes claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights over others.  The Latin root means "to presume." We presume our accomplishments or qualities makes us better than others.  God thinks otherwise!

In the parable that Jesus told in Luke, the Pharisee stood up front and thanked God for not making him like sinners -- robbers, evildoers, an adultery, or even the tax collector. The Pharisee has a disciplined spiritual practice -- he fasts twice a week (how many of us could claim that!) and he tithes -- he give a tenth of his income. Amazing!  How many churches would welcome such a giver!  But this Pharisee has a fatal flaw.  He has to make himself look more important by putting others down.  He has to flaunt the good he does, and rub it in. His prayer focuses on himself, not on God.  He doesn't pray for others.  Instead his attitude is, "God, aren't you lucky to have a disciple like me?"

The tax-collector, on the other hand, kept his distance. He doesn't even lift his eyes to heaven. He beats his breast in a sign of contribution and  begs-- "Lord have mercy on me a sinner." The tax collector knew his need for God.  For all we know, this tax-collector could have been just as arrogant or successful as the Pharisee up until this prayer. However something convicted him. Him wanted to change and be right with God.  Jesus states clearly:  The Tax-Collector went home justified by God, not the Pharisee.   It is this Tax Collector's prayer that forms the basis of the most popular, powerful and ancient of prayer in Christianity, the Jesus Prayer:  "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner."  There are many forms of this prayer, but at it's root it is a cry of the heart for forgiveness, help, and spiritual strength.  

The Tax Collector's Prayer, the Jesus Prayer, is an antidote to arrogance. It leads us into the stillness of our heart. The prayer is simple. We can pray it wherever we are. We learn to prayer it in rhythm with our breath -- and in doing so we become less agitated, more focused on God. We become open to grace.  It opens us up to self-knowledge. It helps us develop a right relationship with God and with others.  It is worth exploring as went enter the Lenten season.  Here are some good places to start.

http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/spiritualformation/jesusprayer/

http://pennpres.org/year-of-prayer-july/


There's nothing wrong with having confidence. But love never takes  confidence to lord it over others; or to belittle others. Our spiritual task is to lift others up, not pull them down or make them feel badly.

This Lent, let us ask God's help for spiritual balance in our lives. Let us pray the Tax Collector's prayer daily.  Learn more about the Jesus prayer and make it a part of our spiritual routine.  By doing so, we keep our hearts from being contaminated by the bad habits that would block love from blooming in our heart.


PRAY: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner."

0 Comments

    Author

    Moirajo is a minister, social worker, wife, mother, writer and animal lover. That's just for starters. Join the story, there's so much we can share together! 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    Bible,  Living life on life's terms, spirituality

    RSS Feed

© Moira Ahearne 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.