The lead piece is from "Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris. In this book she takes many of the words and images of the faith and attempts to put some reality and life to them.
WICKEDNESS
Much of the punch has gone out of the "wicked," which now seems to convey not something truly evil, but merely mischievous. The English word may be traced all the way back to an Indo-European root meaning to bend, change, or weaken. A witch, or a wise-woman, might cast a "wicked" spell in order to bend a lover's heart to fall in love, to change another's mind, or to weaken an enemy. I believe that there is such a thing as holy wickedness, as in a healthy mischief, undertaken wholly for the good. It has little to do with casting spells, and everything to do with the way our minds are cast.
Holy wickedness may be what we traditionally call "loving one's enemy" and praying for them. When you think about it, to love one's enemy is to begin the transformation of the world from one side...even if the other side resists. That sounds like holy wickedness to me. This has nothing to do with folding up shop and letting an enemy walk all over you, it has to do with being persistent, patient, tough as nails, as tender as a mother with a new born babe, and willing to resist things staying the way they are...even if it mean I am the only one carrying forth with an agenda of enemy love. Often we talk about changing a person's heart. I like what Norris shares when she writes that a "wicked" spell is cast in order to bend a lover's heart to fall in love. Too often our hearts are hard and cast in stone or broken...wounded and we cannot see beyond our own little world that is self-centered and self-absorbed. So...to have our hearts bend...in the direction of a love that heals and reunites the separated and helps enemies see ground on which they can stand...at the same time...is a down right holy event...in a wicked kind of way.
Connection: Holy wickedness is filled with laughter. It sees the vision of the peaceable reign of God and can chuckle at our inability to be there and our great need to enjoy the journey into its gracious rule... I hope there is a bit of wicked laughter within your day.
Lord God of Every Age, throughout history, you have demonstrated your willingness to bring together enemies, to turn warfare into a farce, and to surprise your people with new ways of being in community. Keep us laughing and willing to bend the rules so that your love may reign among us. Amen
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