Tuesday 24 February 2009

Today's piece follows very closely on yesterday's - again from "The Strength to Love."

Jesus reminds us that the good life combines the toughness of the serpent and the tenderness of the dove. To have serpentlike qualities devoid of dovelike qualities is to be passionless, mean, and selfish. To have dovelike without serpentlike qualities is to be sentimental, anemic, and aimless. We must combine strongly marked antithesis.

This weekend our church council went through our council Meyers-Briggs Type Inventory. Everyone took the inventory and then we spend time explaining what the various letter meant. It is an exercise in seeing what our gifts are and how we are more strongly gifted in one area and less so in another. The key to this is to remember that if I am an "E" (extrovert) it doesn't mean that I do not have the gifts of an "I" (introvert). Rather I have a preference. What is most helpful to us all is to nurture that side that is not our dominant preference. If we completely ignore it, we will miss out on gifts we have that will help to make us well-rounded. King offers this kind of look at how we are to be followers of Jesus. Balance is vital. Obviously we will each lean one way more than the other. In the context of a community of people that is not all bad. In fact, when we are able to see that we can be dove like more than serpent like...but there are others who are quite the opposite of us, we can then be helpful to one another so that the community of saints is balanced. I consider this balancing power in the community - the Holy Spirit. It is a power that comes to life and shapes the body of Christ when there is a body of people to shape.

Connection: It is always good to check ourselves to find out when and where we move between dove and serpent...and when and how we keep them balanced. This need not be an involved exploration - it will be visible throughout the day.

Lord of Life, you have gifted us as individuals and as a community. We do not always avail ourselves to your gifts. Remind us of the different sides of our lives that seem to be so different and yet are needed to see the fullness of your Reign begin to blossom and shape this day. Amen.