We all have the opportunity to bring good tidings and spread them wherever we go to whomever we meet.
The Wonder of Hope
“Hope is patience with the lamp lit.” ~Tertullian
This wonderful season presents itself just at the time of the year when daylight is quickly diminishing. We begin bringing out the candles. I am reminded of the Jewish prayer of Hanukkah which begins, “We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders.” It’s a time in which everything is shining. It is the first Sunday of Advent for Christians who begin to focus on the four virtues of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.
Today we light the hope candle. Healing happens when we participate in hope. Hope is not an idle, misty, sympathetic emotion. It is a faith-filled response to life. The vision of The Wonderful is upon us and we are reminded to never let darkness fill up our hearts. We might be tempted to extinguish the lights and ignore the continual presence of The Wonderful as voices of negativity, gloom, and doom, reverberate from so many corners. Scrooge and The Grinch can be found lurking around if we want to look and listen for them. Even so, it is important to remember that both Scrooge and The Grinch were transformed by the light. Darkness likes to make us think that it is overpowering. But the truth is that a tiny candle will push it aside.
Advent and Hanukkah Candles will beflickering with the message that hope can never be snuffed out. We have the opportunity to kindle them rightnow.
Advent and the Gift of Waiting
“At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God's own love and concern.” ~ Mother Teresa
Advent begins next Sunday. The Hallmark Channel is providing continuous Christmas movies, people are hanging up calendars to mark the days until Christmas, while decorations abound in stores, homes and on lighted streets. Holiday music is playing on the radio. But Advent is about waiting for Christmas. This is a different kind of waiting than the annoying kind we experience so frequently like hours sitting in doctors offices, and long lines for at airports. Advent is about joyful anticipation.
The kind of waiting that we are called to experience during Advent is both focused and alert. It is being present in the moment and deliberate in our actions. We are asked to participate during this holy time by being more attentive to the people in our lives, actively listening to our families, taking extra measures to be kind and considerate, and by being unselfish as we touch the lives of strangers. This is challenging and can only be done if we slow down and take our steps thoughtfully. For hidden in these days of Advent,amid planning, rushing and overdoing, is the gentle spirit of peace.
All Stirred Up
“You haven't learned life's lesson very wellif you haven't noticed that you can decide the reaction you want of people inadvance. It's unbelievably simple. If you want them to smile, smile first. Ifyou want them to take an interest in you, take an interest in them first. It'sas simple as that. People will treat you like you treat them. It's no secret.Look about you. You can prove it with the next person you meet.” ~ WinstonChurchill
The holidays have jump-started and are in full swing with Thanksgiving and Black Friday behind us already. Today is often called Stir Up Sunday. A Victorian tradition, it has been forgotten by many churches today. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer starts today's services with this Collect;
"Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
This urging prayer also reminded cooks to get the Christmas pudding made in plenty of time to mature before Christmas Day. One of the puddings has a coin cooked into it. Whoever gets that pudding should get worldly riches heaped upon them. What a fun and spiritual way to get all stirred up for the wonderful days ahead.
Churchill was a big advocate of Stir Up Sunday. He loved Christmas pudding too…with a tankard of brandy of course. He believed this season to be a fine time for stirring up our sluggish and sedentary wills that we might rise to action the slumber of our complacency. What a wonderful way to prepare for this season of good-will.
Good intentions are never enough. For the necessarypassion must come not only from an exterior Sunday prodding, but from aninterior fire to do what is right along with a consistent determination thatonly a resolved will can supply. It is up to each of us to recreate the messageand mission of Christmas this year. For Peace on Earth will only come as aresult of our own efforts. Let’s stir it up.
Thanksgiving Day and Lost Sheep
“Life has its problems and with these we must cope.
Trust in God, have blind faith and never give up hope.”~ Cortez McDaniel
As Thanksgiving nears, I am thinking of Cortez McDaniel, a resident of Christ House in Washington, DC. He is a poet, is chronically ill, and a once homeless man without much hope. He had little reason to be thankful. But just when he was at the end of his rope, the incredible miracle of Christ House reached him. There, he received expert medical care, safe respite, a warm bed, nurturing love, nourishing food and a place to recover. His gentle heart was restored and life has renewed possibility. God went in search of this lost sheep and brought him home.
We who have been blessed with comfort, work, family, friends, cars, homes and such abundance have no reason to complain. Our annoyances, worries, and frustrations come from an illusion of scarcity and lack. Even in our culture filled with prosperity, we often choose to see the glass half empty. Here we are on the eve of Thanksgiving. If tempted to complain about what we are missing this year; who failed to come to the table, what favorite dish was forgotten, or that the turkey was deep fried instead of roasted, let’s stop a minute and think about Cortez McDaniel and his friends at Christ House. Let’s fill our hearts with the bounty of God’s grace in full appreciation. How fortunate and blessed we are!
A lost sheep is crying out for help somewhere in your life. Thanksgiving is a good time to go out, no matter how far it has strayed, and welcome it back home.
“A lost sheep needs a shepherd to find the way." ~ Felix Wantang
With Gold Dust at My Feet
“Grab your coat, and get your hat, leave yourworry on the doorstep. Just direct yourfeet, to the sunny side of the street.” ~ Dorothy Fields
The lyrics from ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’ were composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields in 1930 as the world was plunging into the Great Depression. The words gave hope and were heard across the country for years. The song became a jazz and big band standard. It is widely believed that the stock market crash of 1929 was a symptom of deeper and more systemic problems than the events leading up to the epic day it all tanked in September. The nation certainly did not leave worries on the doorstep. Instead, we entered into a period of isolationism which included punitive tariffs. The result was catastrophic.
Lessons of the Great Depression and theoptimism of ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’ are available to each of us inour own struggles. Hard times come andthey also go. We can choose to isolate,withdraw, protect ourselves at the expense of others and hide with our head in thesand, or we can choose to connect with families, friends and the community. We can absolutely find ways to help oneanother, and persist with an optimistic ‘Can-Do’ attitude. Of course, no good comes from ignoring theproblems that we have. Things areresolved by taking a positive approach toward solutions. But we need each other to make ithappen. Let’s reach out and lend a hand.
“No pessimist ever discovered the secret ofthe stars, or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the humanspirit.” ~ Helen Keller
The Activism of Love
“It’s a huge danger to pretend that awful things do not happen. But you need enough hope to keep going. I am trying to make hope. Flowers grow out of darkness.” ~ Corita Kent
Corita Kent, once a nun called Sister Mary Corita, worked to bring religious and secular people together at Immaculate Heart College and assisted in a peacemaking campaign with Physicians for Social Responsibility. As a result, Cardinal James McIntyre began a movement to frame Kent as blasphemous and the college as communist. In 1968, Mary Corita, followed by most of the sisters at the college, made a difficult decision to return to secular life. This ultimately led to the closing of Immaculate Heart. She was named Woman of The Year by The Los Angeles Times, was featured on the cover of Time Magazine and received the American Institute of Graphic Arts Medal. Remembered by many for her Love Stamp used by the USPS, Corita Kent's vast work is held by several art museums and private collectors including The Whitney, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The intense faith demonstrated in Corita’s activism and art remains an inspiration in these times of violence, divisiveness, and rancor. There is a beautiful amalgamation of the holy and the human that we fail to embrace nowadays. We seem to have missed the point that God is Love and each of us is a gift of God. Our mission is to transform the world. Not by fighting against one another...but by combining divine and human love into an undeniable force for good. It is the only way.
The War to End All Wars
There were 4.7 million Americans who served inthe Great War. Finally, a national memorialis underway in Washington, DC to honor their sacrifice. It is still underconstruction with the General of the Armies, John J. Pershing Memorial atPershing Park (14th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW). Ceremonies sponsored by TheWorld War One Centennial Commission started on November 8 and conclude onNovember 12 for a “FirstLook at the National World War l Memorial.”
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France
I spent some time with a friend who lives in the UK last night. The difference between our experiences of Armistice (Veterans) Day is that there are physical reminders of the Great War to be seen over there and none here. Battle scars, memorials and cemeteries abound in Europe. Americans went ‘over there’ after war was declared by Congress on April 6, 1917, but the war had been raging for three years. When it was all done on November 11, 1918, the total number of military and civilian casualties was around 40 million. There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.
But our memory has been fading as generations have passed. Families like that of my wife sent all of their sons to France in the first and following waves of soldiers. By the summer of 1918 we were sending 10,000 a day. Four of her granduncles, Renan, Rex, Roswell and Hugh Smith fought to preserve freedom in World War I. By grace alone they all returned alive and unharmed. We cannot afford to allow this war and these heroes to become relics. We should still wear poppies. We should still toll bells at 11:00 as we are doing at the National Cathedral today. The tragedy of the Great War and its countless victims claimed by the conflict should never be forgotten. The course of our own times has been permanently influenced by the events of 1914-1918 and their aftermath, as were the lives of our ancestors, and so we remember.
Finding the Middle Way
“I swear I will not dishonor my soul with hatred, but offer myself humbly as a guardian of nature, as a healer of misery, as a messenger of wonder, as an architect of peace.”
Diane Ackerman
Diane Ackerman offers some healing words to consideron this day after mid-term elections. Emotionsran high when we were fighting for candidates who carry our banner andrepresent out principles and ideals. Record numbers of us turned out to vote. Some of us are happy with the results and some of us aredisappointed. What we do next to moveforward is very important.
Fighting the good fight is an American tradition. There is a great story in the History of Knox County, Ohio in which my ancestor, James Houck accused one of his young neighbors of stealing a ‘scrap of bees’ at the fall social gathering where apples were being prepared for drying (called an apple-bee).
The pioneer custom was to either ‘take it back or take a licking’. Though a fist fight occurred, there was no resolution. The next gathering would be on Election Day 1808 where all community scores could be settled. There was an abundance of whisky and plenty of fights. But at the end of the day, differences and quarrels were to be finalized. I’m not suggesting a return to this kind of dispute settlement. What I am endorsing is that we put aside the partisan divisions and work together again.
The extremes of right and left can do exactly what we did under our 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower who called his administration “The Middle Way”. We need our leaders to help turn us in that direction forgetting resentments and a desire for revenge. Eisenhower accomplished much by being able to talk to, and work with, both sides on every issue. For a nation now mired in conflict, his model of getting things done by taking the middle way could provide a welcome alternative. In the meantime it is up to all of us to strive for civil discourse and to find common ground. That is as American as Apple Pie.
Honor Your Legacy
“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ~ Thomas Jefferson (3rd U. S. President)
This is a participatory democracy. And participation in the election process is our legacy. Voting has been a big deal in my family for generations. Mother was a poll watcher and spent endless hours volunteering at party headquarters when I was growing up. My grandfather, Roy Jones (1875-1972), served as an elected official in Piatt County, Illinois for over three decades. His great-grandfather, James Houck (1783-1883), cast his first ballot in Ohio for Thomas Jefferson in 1804 and then served as Township Treasurer for years. Roy's father-in-law, Ira Miner (1840-1927), was a member of the Wide-Awakes who battled to elect Abraham Lincoln at the Chicago convention. I have a long-standing legacy to honor every time I vote. And so do you.
Each of us immigrants has a story in which either we or our ancestors made a decision to come to this land of opportunity in search of freedom. But, as Thomas Edison once quipped; "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work." There is work involved in citizenship which can be meaningfully exercised on Election Day.
The ability to vote exists as one of the most cherished of Constitutional Rights. It has been fought for, marched for, and died for since George Washington was first elected 229 years ago. What an incredible opportunity we have to share in the forming and reforming of our government! We can be a part of the magnificent shaping of our own destiny and building our nation. What better work is there than that!
Ask yourself this important question on November 6;
What kind of a country do I want?
Then make good choices in the voting booth. Help our nation to fulfill the highest ideals and guide us to more richly live out our principles. We can accomplish great things. Let’s honor our sacred legacy and be good citizens.
An Inconvenient Truth
“The call to the margins, led by those we find there, is exhilarating and life-giving and renews our nobility and purpose. For this, we all long. The time is now, as never before, to put terror and defense to one side and find our human connections on the margins.” ~ Gregory Boyle (Founder of Homeboys Industries)
It isn’t more power, more prosperity, more armaments or closed borders we need. None of these things will give us long-term security. None of these things will keep us safe. We become more vulnerable to destruction from within when we isolate from ‘the other’ in self-woven cocoons. Instead, we need to reach out for the hand of those on the margins, those who are broken, and those who understand how interdependent we really are. We go to the marginalized not to make a difference but for them to make us different.
Martin Luther King called us to serve “the last, the least, and the lost.” Jesus instructs us to include not exclude as he invites tax collectors and prostitutes to his table. He tells us “that which you do to the least of my brothers, so you do unto me.” Buddha dedicated his entire life for the cause of others, for the uplift of humanity at large. He was the first to revolt against the caste system which was firmly rooted in the soil of India. One of the great reforms that the Prophet Muhammad brought was the rights and treatment of the poor. And so we struggle with an inconvenient truth. We must drop our moral outrage and pick up compassion in its place. When we do that wonderful things will begin to happen in our lives and in our world.
A Time to Kneel
“A desire to kneel down sometimes pulses through my body, or rather it is as if my body has been meant and made for the act of kneeling. Sometimes, in moments of deep gratitude, kneeling down becomes an overwhelming urge, head deeply bowed, my hands before my face.” ~ Etty Hillesum
There was a deep peace in the heart of Etty Hillesum. She wrote extensively about her love for fellow human beings while being persecuted and awaiting the certain fate of deportation from her home in Amsterdam during World War II. She was one of 1.1 million who died at Auschwitz concentration camp but her faith in God and people live on in the many letters and diaries she left behind. The thought that kneeling was Etty’s demonstration of awe is one that should inspire us today.
I wonder what it might be like if we all knelt a little bit more and stood tall a bit less. The thought of making ourselves vulnerable in the kneeling position is a foreign one to us. But the image of getting on both knees to help a child or to pray at night is universally embraced. The reverence and wonder demonstrated by such an act can only be matched by how defenseless we become in this position. It is time for more kneeling. It is time for becoming so open to God and each other that we are once again willing to find the common ground necessary for a cessation of all the misunderstandings and animosity which are destroying us.
A Recipe for Living
“Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.” ~ John Quincy Adams (Sixth U.S. President)
Life is unpredictable. Just when things seem to be going our way the rug gets pulled out from underneath us. Good times become hard times. Health issues crop up. Money once plentiful gets tight. People leave us or die. When times get tough it is important to remember that everything will change. The ingredients needed to face these situations are courage to straightforwardly deal with them as they happen and perseverance in our efforts to overcome.
The fact that change will always occur can be as comforting as it is disturbing. Happiness, joy, celebration, friendship, and abundance are every bit as certain as their counterparts. When we begin to understand that God is not punishing or judging us and the power of love will conquer anything...courage and perseverance are not so hard to muster. Life happens and God is never distant. Like the Prodigal, we can take stock of what is happening and accept the unconditional embrace which is always waiting for us.
Make the World Come Alive
“There must be always remaining in every life, some place for the singing of angels, some place for that which in itself is breathlessly beautiful.” ~ Howard Thurman
Howard Thurman was the grandson of a plantation slave in Madison County, Florida. Profoundly influenced by his grandmother, he made it his life’s mission to teach about the inseparable connection each of us has with God. He found reasons to seek out more than common-ground; rather, he revealed the incredible beauty which is the essence of everyone. This truth is elusive nowadays. We seem to be fixated on finding differences and darknesses in those who are different. Such divisions lead us to picking sides, creating misunderstandings, fostering hatred, and being violent.
There is a weariness that hangs heavy over us. Tired of the mean language, name-calling, character assassination and loss of civility, we long for relief from it all. The only force which will restore Thurman’s vision of beauty is the effort that you are willing to give and the vitriol you are willing to abandon. God is present by our side, ahead, behind, above, below and inside. Take a good look. And then listen to the angels sing.
Sage Wisdom
“Wisdom is ofttimes nearer when we stoop than when we soar.”~ William Wordsworth
The wounds and pain that we suffer are the very experiences that provide us with information to navigate as we progress along the winding path of life. It has been said that the bamboo reed growing in the wetlands must be cut, carved and smoothed in order to make sweet music. This is not only true of the reed but of us as well. The wounds that we receive can serve to define us in ways that allow our own unique music to play while assisting and inspiring others. They should never be seen as cuts that have left us unattractive.Most of us think that we know everything when we are thirty only to find at fifty that we know almost nothing. My grandfather used to say; “Too soon old…Too late smart.” When we finally recognize that our experiences can be used to benefit those who struggle with their own distress and suffering, our lives will take on a new dimension. The fullness of understanding and real wisdom will follow. We will begin to intuitively know what to do and what to say when people ask our advice and counsel. While intelligence is something with which we might be endowed at birth, true wisdom only comes with time and age.
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse. In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers. His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast
Oh, Lord it’s Hard to Be Humble
“He that would have a perfect brother must resign himself to being brotherless.” ~ Italian Proverb
I’m not perfect…Nobody is. When we expect perfection of ourselves or others and find it to be lacking, the next step is to find someone to blame. Blaming other people, places or things is a waste of time as well as a spiritual drain. The ability to form creative solutions is diminished or eliminated. After all, what does blaming accomplish? We expend our energy finding fault and complaining only to discover that doing so has rendered us ‘brotherless’ and isolated in an ego created cocoon.
There exists a remarkable opportunity to embrace blame as a guidepost to better understanding our imperfections setting us free to explore our common brokenness. Looking within, we will then find how much alike we really are. Life becomes an adventure in humility where we seek counsel, wisdom and ways to become better members of an inclusive community. Though perfection can never be found, we will know real peace and happiness as we become open to new dimensions of relationships with others and with ourselves.
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse.In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.
Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin
Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast
The Courage to Speak Up
Opportunities to be courageous present themselves every day. These challenges often come with a little dose of fear. This is not the significant fear faced on the battlefield, but that gnawing emotion which stops us from doing the right thing.
Courage presents its opportunity to stand tall when we hear mean comments, character assassinations, racial slurs and demeaning jokes. It shows up in conversations and in casual encounters. The little doses of fear stem from our need to be liked, admired, appreciated and loved. It takes real courage to deal with the possibility of rejection. Sometimes we cave in and sacrifice beliefs we hold sacred but more often than not we just choose to keep our mouths shut.
“Courage has to do with our determination to be great. It has to do with what we decide in that moment when we are called upon to be more.”
Rita Dove
The decision to be silent is not much different than siding with a perpetrator. We are witness to the effects of silence as victims of abuse come forward to tell their story. So many people say nothing, even when facts are presented which are unimpeachable.
The physical and emotional trauma borne by the wounded-one are magnified by all of the responsible people who somehow justify ‘not getting involved’. We all have chances to be brave. We can choose to face our fears by saying what should be said and rising up for those who are being injured. In so doing, someone might stand with us when the tables are turned.
Today I will be courageous in my defense of those who are being injured and victimized.
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse.
In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.
His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.
Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin
Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast
Seasonal Wonders
"A comprehensible God is no more than an idol.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle
Autumn is here and I can hardly wait for all of its splendor and a glimpse of God’s immense grandeur. How can we begin to think that we are masters of anything? No matter what we do, how much money or power we wield, what kind of influence we exert, whether we are at the top of our game and fit as a fiddle, nothing…absolutely nothing can even vaguely compare to the magnificence of God’s work. When we let go of the illusion that we are in charge of anything, child-like innocence returns. Then our eyes will be re-opened to the splendor of it all.
My most vivid memories of God are not at an altar or sitting in a congregation. They come back in waves of wonder which return me to Max Patch overlooking the reds, oranges, russets, and greens nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I think of waterfalls cascading in the Pisgah National Forest. Memories flow of a brilliant fall sunrise over the Atlantic just before a tropical storm. I recall double rainbows on the plains of Lincoln County, Colorado reflected on the icy scrub brush and rambling tumbleweed. God is incomprehensible. Whenever we think otherwise, we are ignoring the evidence. Happy autumn splendor to everyone! Celebrate it with gusto!
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse.
In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.
His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.
Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin
Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast
This Is It
“People who cling to the past and resist change have a hard time participating in God’s and their own future.” ~ Richard Rohr
The future is unfolding and we join in it here and now. Full participation, looking forward while accepting the past, is absolutely necessary if we are to live out our lives in meaningful ways. The universe is expanding in ever larger spheres and orbits. Though this rapidly changing reality may be scary, it is undeniable.We cannot make ourselves ‘great-again’ by attempting to recreate the past. But we can make ourselves great. There is no turning back. There is no standing still. There is only moving forward. Imagine this universe being created anew every moment…evolving, changing, and unfolding. Who I have been is not who I am. Who I will be is becoming.
This is the mystery and the miracle of constant union with God. Created as co-creators, we have a responsibility and a mission to carry out our destiny. Embrace change and celebrate life. The future is in your hands and carried out by your efforts.
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse. In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers. His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation. Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast[/et_pb_team_member][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
A Karmic Misunderstanding
What goes around comes around. There is a kind of smugness in this old maxim. It seems that even the most religious folks allow those words to come out of their mouths with indignant self-righteousness.
It is surprising really. There is certainly no gospel mention of Jesus wagging his finger or clicking his tongue with a message of certain doom. On the contrary, he welcomes sinners, dines with tax collectors, and hangs out with rugged fishermen, street people, and prostitutes. His message is one of acceptance and a way out of trouble. Yet, we continue to wage a holy war on one another by waiting for divine retribution, punishment, and retaliation. Lucky for most of us that what goes around does not always come around. I don’t know about you, but my fate would be sealed.
“Contrary to popular misconception, karma has nothing to do with punishment and reward.” ~ Sol Luckman
What we need to wait for and anticipate is forgiveness, grace, and love. We should especially wish this for those who seem to be mired in trouble and meanness. We don’t get to set ourselves apart as righteous superiors. We don’t get to discard those who have injured us with karmic hopes that ‘they will get theirs’. Any time we do those things we are setting up a dynamic of hatred which flows out to every ear that hears. We become the example of exactly what drives people away from God. The lost sheep is not being fervently pursued with shears and butcher knives. The lost sheep is being sought so it can be returned home on the shoulders of the shepherd in expectation of a great celebration. With that in mind let’s stop expecting cosmic retribution and hope for universal mercy.
Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse. In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.
His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.
Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin
Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast