Miracles
I have been thinking some about miracles, and what they look like in our context. And yes, I realize that things still happen like people get miraculous physical healing (I have witnessed this) and the other typical things people think of when they think of "miracles."
But I've also been thinking, that in our culture, there are some other things that should be considered miracles too. Like, when a wealthy person chooses to give a lot of their money away to people who need it more, and to live simply. That's a miracle. Or when someone loves one of their enemies, or someone on the margins. That is a miracle too. Or when someone chooses to take a pause in their very hurried schedule to listen to someone who needs a kind ear. That's a miracle. Or when anyone does any act out of love for Jesus and their neighbor. Are you kidding me? In this country where it's so easy (and rewarded) to be selfish, materialistic, individualistic, and comfortable--I feel like when people are willing to step out of that because of a deeper conviction to love God and neighbor, that seems like a miracle of God.
Maybe you don't like this expanded definition of a miracle. Maybe it's not sparkly or flashy enough. But more and more I've been realizing that there is so much power in the small things. And I think Jesus knew that. I think he knew that in small, everyday acts of love, there was a TON of power, and whole bad systems of injustice could be subverted. I like to consider genuinely caring for the people God puts around me my main current contribution to subverting the empire.
Anyway, there was a small miracle yesterday. I took my car in to the mechanic at the dealer (yeah, I know, selling out to The Man)--but anyway, the brakes squeak a bit, and when my car gets around 55-65 mph it kind of shakes. And, since in less than two weeks (HOORAY!) I will be driving with my friend Jose back to California, I figured I should make sure we wouldn't break down halfway through Oklahoma. In the end, the dealer said I didn't need anything done on my car. He was honest. He didn't have to be, I wouldn't have known the difference. And say what you will about how maybe his honesty is just a business tactic. Maybe so. But maybe it's also an act of integrity in a world where dishonesty often wins the day. Maybe it's a small act of subverting the power of accumulation in this world. Maybe it's a little miracle of God.
But I've also been thinking, that in our culture, there are some other things that should be considered miracles too. Like, when a wealthy person chooses to give a lot of their money away to people who need it more, and to live simply. That's a miracle. Or when someone loves one of their enemies, or someone on the margins. That is a miracle too. Or when someone chooses to take a pause in their very hurried schedule to listen to someone who needs a kind ear. That's a miracle. Or when anyone does any act out of love for Jesus and their neighbor. Are you kidding me? In this country where it's so easy (and rewarded) to be selfish, materialistic, individualistic, and comfortable--I feel like when people are willing to step out of that because of a deeper conviction to love God and neighbor, that seems like a miracle of God.
Maybe you don't like this expanded definition of a miracle. Maybe it's not sparkly or flashy enough. But more and more I've been realizing that there is so much power in the small things. And I think Jesus knew that. I think he knew that in small, everyday acts of love, there was a TON of power, and whole bad systems of injustice could be subverted. I like to consider genuinely caring for the people God puts around me my main current contribution to subverting the empire.
Anyway, there was a small miracle yesterday. I took my car in to the mechanic at the dealer (yeah, I know, selling out to The Man)--but anyway, the brakes squeak a bit, and when my car gets around 55-65 mph it kind of shakes. And, since in less than two weeks (HOORAY!) I will be driving with my friend Jose back to California, I figured I should make sure we wouldn't break down halfway through Oklahoma. In the end, the dealer said I didn't need anything done on my car. He was honest. He didn't have to be, I wouldn't have known the difference. And say what you will about how maybe his honesty is just a business tactic. Maybe so. But maybe it's also an act of integrity in a world where dishonesty often wins the day. Maybe it's a small act of subverting the power of accumulation in this world. Maybe it's a little miracle of God.
posted by bethany at 6:28 AM
1 Comments:
i dig the hair, ms. monroe.
looks good.
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