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Dear
Saints:
Recently
I read on the Christianity Today web site an article by
Gordon MacDonald (No, not our Gordon!). It’s entitled Cultivating
the Soul. He and his wife, Gail, have a parcel of land in New
Hampshire they have named Peace Ledge. Occasionally they will select
a piece of this woodland to clear, removing undergrowth and other
debris, so it can be refreshed. Every time they do this they are
amazed at the beauty that grows up almost overnight. “Wild
flowers appear;” he says, “forest animals visit; good trees
mature. The virtues of creation just seem to appear.” Then he
adds, “when the soul is similarly attended to, there appear the
virtues of a godly character.” What might such a “soul”
look like? MacDonald muses on five characteristics.
First
is humility. He quotes Isaak of Syria who said, “A
humble man is never hurried, hasty, or perturbed, but at all times
remains calm. Nothing can ever surprise, disturb, or dismay him, for
he suffers neither fear nor change in tribulations, neither surprise
nor elation in enjoyment. All his joy and gladness are in what is
pleasing to the Lord.”
Secondly,
MacDonald mentions compassion. “Compassion,” he
says, is “the ability to identify at heart level with the
vulnerabilities, fears, and sorrows of others” and is
“energized with great love.” But the world, more often than
not, sees only our pride, anger, and vindictiveness. Reflecting on
this he adds, “I don’t want to be perceived as a hard
person with an accusatory message who occasionally does good deeds.
Much better to be perceived as the wounded healer who exchanges his
bandages with the one who has none to offer back.”
The
third characteristic is steadfastness. He defines it as
“not stubbornness, nor...resistance to change.” Rather, it
is “reliability of character, fulfillment of promises,
faithfulness to key relationships, and (most important) living in
obedience to Jesus.”
Fourthly,
he mentions faith. “Faith,” he maintains, is
“an ability to trust in and draw upon the power of God beyond my
rationality, my instinctive pessimism, my willingness to settle for
less than best.... Spiritual formation means building a heart that is
comfortable in asking for and believing in God to do the seemingly
impossible. Praying for healing of the sick, transformation of the
wicked, the lifting of the hand of the oppressor.”
The
final characteristic in MacDonald’s list is self-control.
Perhaps the ideal illustration of self-control would be the Gospel
story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although he was in
terrible anguish over the choice he must make, and surrounded by
disciples who would abandon him and violent soldiers eager to get
their hands on him and a friend turned traitor in Judas Iscariot,
Jesus kept his composure and his dignity. In doing this he became the
“calm center” in an out-of-control situation.
Like
the wooded areas Gordon and Gail MacDonald regularly clear out in
order for new growth and beauty to occur – so it is with our
souls. I am reminded of a passage from Paul’s letter to the
Christians in Galatia where he says, “[You] reap whatever you
sow. If you sow to your flesh, you will reap corruption from the
flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from
the Spirit” (6:7b-8,
NRSV).
Humility,
compassion, steadfastness, faith, and self-control. These are things
that, if cultivated in the soul, will result in a life – and a
church! – of lasting beauty.
Grace
and peace,
Pastor
Larry |
