Learning from Martin Thornton
Spiritual direction assumes the centrality of prayer as power to act... The practical out-going Christian is not someone who, vaguely inspired by Jesus, sets about solving the world's problems and trying to love his neighbors off his own bat - albeit autographed by Jesus. Rather he is one who, ontologically incorporated into the sacred humanity of Christ, becomes his redemptive instrument.... Christian action is not action of which Jesus approves but action that he performs through his incorporated, and therefore prayerful, disciples.
~ Martin Thornton, "Spiritual Direction", pp 13-14
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TALK ABOUT IT How does the difference between doing what Jesus would do, and Jesus doing his work through us, matter to you?
DO IT (INNER PRACTICE) How does this difference effect you experience the practice of compassion?
DO IT (OUTER PRACTICE) How could this difference effect the way others experience your compassion?
LEARNING FROM MARTIN THORNTON: CHURCH OF RECONCILIATION
wow, this is an important difference!!
ReplyDeleteSo here is how I would say it.. I can be a follower of Christ acting in the world but acting in a way that is driven by my ego and selfishness. And, although my intent is good, I am "doing" under my own power and volition, with God's inspiration as secondary. In essence, I am doing "good works" with 90% of the action "me", my ego self, and 10% God self.
The flip side of this might look the same (up to a point from the outside observer) where the action's impetus is 90% God-driven and 10% me- driven.
Although on the surface the two make look the same (healing the sick, feeding the hungry, reaching out to those in prison) there is a qualitative difference... in the first example my ego is driving the action, and when thwarted I respond with anger and frustration. In the latter, which is God driven, I (like Jesus the Master) can respond only in love.
We might say this never really happens unless you are a Martin Luther King JR or a Desmond Tutu. But, you know I actually saw someone do this about a year or so ago. They were railroaded from their job, pushed out and pushed down from the powers at the top of the "food chain". This follower of Jesus responded objectively and with Love to their persecutors. It was an amazing thing to see and experience from a real-world teacher. I am most grateful for that example.
It is a whole different mind set for me. An elusive mind set for me, a new consciousness that is very difficult to maintain. But it does make all the difference.
ReplyDeleteIt zeros in on the hollow place within the "What would Jesus do" movement. Not that I see WWJD as a bad thing, but as open to driven by false self as being driven by true (Spirit) Self.
This is a good reminder to me that it all begins and ends in prayer - particularly the deep, centering, prayer of silence where I find myself more integrated with the Divine Will and the Divine Power, and where I can imagine myself more readily as simply Christ's hands and feet.