Hey Everybody,
“I Am Responsible”
Am I responsible for what others think? No, but I am responsible to offer alternatives if I see someone who has forgotten the good that they are.
Has anyone ever, kindly, reminded you when you forgot who and what you are? It doesn’t mean that we yell at them...and shaming someone into remember rarely works. However, I believe I am responsible for reminding everyone of the good that they are.
I admit that I sometimes forget who and what I am in God and that’s when I need someone to take responsibility for reminding me.
Over the years, many have taken responsibility for kindly, gently and yet definitely reminding me in a way that I could hear without shame or guilt...although I did squirm with embarrassment a few times. Not because of what they did but from my own thoughts about it.
Let us begin to pray on how we can remind ourselves and each other of how we are each a beloved child of God. Let’s take responsibility for reminding each other when we forget. Several years ago I volunteered with a children’s group. We started each session in a circle and I asked each child to say, “I am Good.” We did that for several months. After doing it for a while, I asked them all if they would be willing to take responsibility for remembering that each other is Good when they forgot. One week I returned after being away for a couple of weeks. As we started the circle, my supervisor interrupted to tell me that the previous week while I was away one of the children had a violent outburst about something and was unable to control his temper. My supervisor told me that two of the children came up to her and said, “He forgot he is Good.”
We can all take the time to remember that we are all Good, even when some of us forget. We need each other for this. Pay attention when others are taking the time to remember you are Good and take the time to remember for the people you like, the people you love and even the people you fear the most. Be responsible for this.
You’re so Good,
Rev. Shawn