Loving dandelions

DAILY BYTE

This week, we’ve been exploring relationships with people of other faiths.

Well, we find in the Book of Acts that people in the early church only take on the name, Christian, following the story we’ve been reading about Peter’s interaction with Cornelius, a Gentile person of different beliefs and a different culture.

Only after Peter tells his realization that God’s repentance and spirit can be found among people of other faith backgrounds, do we find the statement in the same chapter 11, verse 26, that the apostles continued on their journey, and it says, “So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’”

This begs us to ask, what does it mean to be a Christian in a world that is filled with people who are not?

Because that is how we live today.

But it leads us to another question: who are we, that we could hinder the Spirit of God?

Instead, of talking over one another, what would happen if we listened to each other?

Instead of ignoring or turning our backs to each other, what would happen if we journeyed together?

Instead of constantly seeking out how our beliefs are right and theirs are wrong, what would happen if we learned to see the Spirit of God in one another, even though we will not always agree or understand?

I must share one more story with you for the week:

A man decided to start a flower garden. He prepared the soil and planted the seeds of many beautiful flowers. But when they came up, his garden was filled not just with his chosen flowers but also overrun with dandelions.

He sought out advice from gardeners all over and tried every method known to get rid of them but to no avail. Finally, he walked all the way to the capital to speak to the royal gardener at the king’s palace. The wise old man had counseled many gardeners before and suggested a variety of remedies to expel the dandelions but the man had tried them all.

They sat together in silence for some time and finally the gardener looked at the man and said, ‘Well, then I suggest you learn to love them.’

(edited from Soul Food: Stories to Nourish the Spirit & the Heart by Jack Kornfield & Christina Feldman)

This is a Sufi story that suggests to us that even if we don’t understand people who are different in culture or belief, they are here and present with us, and perhaps, Christian people, we should learn to love them.

FOCUS TEXT

Acts 11:26b & Mark 12:30-31 (NRSV)

So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

“...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’

PRAY AS YOU GO

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us again today. Reshape our rigid notions of what it means to be Christian. Teach us to see Your Spirit moving through all people. Turn our heads with it, and turn our hearts so that we might be able to reach out to them in love. Amen.