Friday, May 2, 2014

A man named Loren

1 Corinthians 12: 12-19

Christ is like one body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same spirit, and we have all been given the one spirit to drink.

For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. If the foot were to say, 'because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body,' that would not keep it from being a part of the body. And if an ear were to say, 'because I am not an eye I am not a part of the body,' that would not keep it from being a part of the body. If the whole body were just an eye how could it hear? And if it were only and eye how could it smell? As it is, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. There would not be a body if it were only one part. As it is, there are many parts but one body.

I was meeting some new friends at a diner and a gentleman named Loren who knew my friends began to tell a story about an issue he is working through. I said,'I am saying a prayer for you.' He said he does not believe in religion because he cannot understand how there can be so much suffering in the world.

I listened and said suffering teaches us how to love.
Loren and I shared a moment that was open and honest. We allowed each other to be our "part" in the conversation.

It is within our human nature to categorize, compartmentalize and work in silos. It is as if our part is the only part, the best part and there is no need for any other part.

Yet we are all from the same source, as the scripture above says, one spirit and one body. Spirit is our connection to one another. It is a fine thread that connects each of us to the other. Me to Loren and Loren to me. Regardless of our part (gender, race, creed, sexual orientation).

I don't know about anything before I was born and I have no idea where I am going when I am dead. The one thing I know for certain is that I did not create myself.
Love created me and you. We are connected through this!
We are spirits having a human experience. This is our common ground.
What if we brought this common ground into all of our interactions?
What can we accomplish together?

My mom and dad died 3 years ago. I knew them as vibrant, spirit filled human beings. Then one day they were dead, their bodies still, cold, pale and spirit less. Where did their spirit go?
I feel my mom's presence at times when I need it and I think of them when I see certain symbols of them. For my mom it is a rose and my dad it is money, mostly pennies.

I believe that we are here, our life purpose is, to learn how to love. And all those we love, we help when we return to spirit. So if you think your life is busy now, just wait. Our real work begins when we return to spirit.

Jesus taught us the 'Our father' as a way to pray.
What do the lines, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven mean?
The kingdom is love.
The will is love.
Heaven is love.

Each of us is one part of the whole love, the source of love. One part of the spirit of love. One part of the body of love. The generic name we call this source, this love is GOD.
How do you love? When do you love?

How you love!
How well you love!
Inspires love!
Love more....
Love all....
Love in every situation, every second of every day.
And
Don't allow life's busyness to get in the way of being your part of the spirit which is love.

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