2 Timothy 1:1-14
Proper 22 (27) - Year C
"You have the gift of faith living within you. That's good. Not only that, but I've touched your life. You are not afraid in light of the power, love, and self-discipline you carry with you.
"But I am afraid that very power, love, and self-discipline will take you where even angels fear to tread, so don't color outside the line I laid down for you."
What a deal -- the very gifts given, are warned against. And, yet, is not the Holy Spirit a living spirit living within us pushing us to greater things than even Jesus is recorded as having participated in.
It is so easy to hold only to the letter of a teaching itself without paying attention to the spirit of the standard of the teaching which is to break new ground through the cracks in our realities and a new creation pulling us forward.
We have so often read this as a dire warning that if you go beyond Paul you are on the side of terror. We are called to go beyond such a limitation to herald through our lives, not through Paul's life repeated, the light of good newness revealing life and more while they were invisible to us.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/october2004.html
A debate regarding future leadership was held last night. A part of the difference between the debaters is touched upon by verses 13 and 14 -- "Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us."
One debater held to the spirit of the law as a standard passed on to him - war is a last resort. The other debater guarded the letter of the law as a treasure that had one, and only one, consequence - stay the course unwaveringly.
I was more impressed with the flexibility and standards of teaching, faith, and love than the guarding of doctrinal verities finding its authority in repetition and volume.
The spins that went on after the debate were what really got to me. I expect that there are reasonably good reasons for different folks choosing to emphasize standards versus guardianship. I can live with that and help to decide between them in a given situation.
What I find disturbing are the folks who have a task of defending one or the other to the exclusion of the other or the one. Samantha Bee, on The Daily Show reporting of the debate, indicated that dealing with the undecided had led her to a decision to drown herself. I can put up with the undecided who opt out of being part of a solution to a difficult issue. I am only led to think about drowning in the face of the spinners who doggedly refuse to get off message to acknowledge any worth in one they have labeled as opponent or enemy.
What keeps me going are wonderful songs like Ewan MacColl's Joy of Living that brings me back to verse 4 -- "Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy." I am always glad to hear echoes of the Song of Songs as a call to a better future.
Farewell to you, my love, my time is almost done
Lie in my arms once more until the darkness comes
You filled all my days, held the night at bay, dearest companion
Years pass by and they're gone with the speed of birds in flight
Our life like the verse of a song heard in the mountains
Give me your hand then love and join your voice with mine
And we'll sing of the hurt and the pain and the joy of livingFarewell to you, my chicks, soon you must fly alone
Flesh of my flesh, my future life, bone of my bone
May your wings be strong may your days be long, safe be your journey
Each of you bears inside of you the gift of love
May it bring you light and warmth and the pleasure of giving
Eagerly savour each new day and the taste of its mouth
Never lose sight of the thrill and the joy of living
What keeps you going?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/october2004.html
"Keep ablaze the gift of G*D that is within you through the laying on of my hands."
We are a communal people who touch each other, groom each other, into living out of a good treasure already present. The reminders of where we have come from keeps reaching back and back to a creation that honors an inherent goodness, very goodness, in truth, within. Nothing subsequent can separate us from such a beginning.
So we encourage in each other that which we do not yet have in fullness - life. We do so with every tool at our command, including bringing G*D to bear and any manifestation of same that wills a clear conscience.
Have you been encouraged this day? Rejoice. Have you encouraged another this day? Rejoice. Both come round to the other and the treasure of a good creation continues to open.
- - -
o to see another
as they may become
this precious gift
transforms
seer and seen
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html
I remind you to rekindle the forgiving gift of G*D that is within you. [vs.6]
Don't be a coward and let it go for nothing. [vs 7]
Be not ashamed of forgiving, even those who don't know what they do. [vs 8]
You have a holy calling to further G*D's expansive and expanding love. [vs 9]
Fragile life can be strengthened well into the future through forgiveness unto resurrection. [vs 10]
This reception of forgiveness is worth building a life on. [vs 11]
Trust the forgiveness you have received on your Damascus Road. [vs 12]
Hold to the standards of trust and love. [vs 13]
Guard these standards that reveal the Holy Spirit in each one. [vs 14]
- - -
How do you read these words in our day? How do you keep this pericope from being all about salvaging past doctrines and never getting to trust an on-going conversion through the reception of forgiveness and then being radical in extending forgiveness to anyone and everyone?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2010/09/2-timothy-11-14.html