Tuesday, November 4, 2014 “To be great is to be misunderstood.” If Emerson is right about that, many of us have achieved greatness! To be misunderstood because you are trying to ‘impress,’ like using words larger than necessary, or technical terms to reflect your vocation and position, or to ‘take’ a position which does not honestly reflect your heart and mind is a misunderstanding well deserved. If misunderstanding grows out of what is deeply felt and truly believed, then you pay the price of conviction. Across the years people have disagreed with some of what I believe and try to live as being “too liberal.” Some, who live in other thought places, say, “You are much too conservative.” I stick to my guns that terms like ‘liberal,’ or ‘conservative,’ or what have you, never truly represent those ‘assigned’ them. If I’m ‘liberal’ about anything, it’s because of what I understand about God in Christ. The old ‘what would Jesus do,” does apply, and the other morning, John, our associate said he would prefer a “What DID Jesus do.” Wouldn’t it be lovely if everyone saw ‘eye to eye and heart to heart’ on the issues of the day? It might be easier, but not necessarily better. Why? Because there would be no ‘blood, sweat and tears,’ in trying to find God’s will, and no real cost of discipleship. Every one of us who believes in faith is ‘betting our lives’ on hearing and doing the will of God as we understand it. Jesus in his own day and time, found varieties of religious experience in his society. He found ways to deal with such differences, and even to appreciate the faith of some thought outside of the ‘proper’ religious circles. There are several ways to be great. Jesus confused many by saying, “You want to be great? Then be servant to all.” Now there’s a ‘misunderstood’ point of view that’s as true as can be—at least for those who take Jesus seriously. To be misunderstood on purpose is to be small. To be misunderstood being ‘large’ of mind and heart and soul and strength is great whether understood or appreciated or not. When I once felt ‘well put down,’ by some people I thought to be real friends, my grandfather Keith Sawer said to me, “Those who say to others that they have no status, have none themselves. Worth is not created by the observations of others, son. Worth is the integrity which motivates your real and actual life. You are worthy, my dear grandson.” Talk about a priceless gift. And there stands the Savior of the world—acknowledged or not—reaching toward us and saying, “I say you are worthy.” What we do with that worthy will show our greatness, or the lack of it. Always love, always, Keith
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 11:50:06 +0000