Monday, March 15, 2010

Perhaps Our Greatest Failure

It is perhaps the greatest irony of mortality that we can’t serve God without mixing with his children - that in order to emulate Jesus’ actual life we need to risk all kinds of temptations and dangers and judgmental perceptions in order to "lay down our lives" for others and simply serve them. Frankly, in my opinion, that is perhaps the greatest failure in many members’ lives - living too safely away from the deepest pains and suffering and temptations around us and losing the chance to mourn with those that mourn the most and comfort those who stand in the greatest need of comfort.

3 comments:

Thomas Parkin said...

Amen. Every time I hear about where I shouldn't go and with whom I shouldn't associate, I want to say something like what you've just said. Thanks, Ray.

(not that there aren't places that generally speaking we shouldn't go ... obviously ...)

Love ya. ~

Paul said...

I agree! And on at least two levels:

1. We cannot insulate ourselves from those whom we should serve.

2. We must still learn to mourn with those that mourn (instead of feeling sorry for those who are all done mourning now so there's not much left for us to do...)

Matthew said...

Agreed. I find that my appreciation for irony grows with every passing year.

I like the old proverb:

Thee lift me and I'll lift thee,
and we'll ascend together.