Two choices

it is not this simple, perhaps

but on this dark morning as the rain

finally falls on parched earth

 

and darkness lingers

as the clouds embrace the world with grayness

 

it seems painfully clear

 

we have two choices

domination or service

 

or to put it another way

we can choose power or service

 

from that initial choice

our world is shaped and built

 

domination is all about the win

all about power and coercion

and if things don’t go well,

about retribution

 

with domination is it all about

the “self”

and one getting what one wants, when on wants it

about controlling

and accumulating

 

(and here is the kicker)

WITH NO REGARD OF THE IMPACT ON OTHERS

 

but domination is deadly

domination creates wars

abuse

cruelty

injustice

inequity

 

domination erodes love

for while we must be filled with love

and we must “love” ourselves

true love must be shared

must be drive us to others and compel us to service

 

love is made to leave the home of our hearts

and fly towards other

and if is contained

it withers and dies

 

rot, rot, fester, fester

 

when we hug all to ourselves

we are not satisfied

why else to the very rich always want more money

and the very powerful always want more power?

 

Instead our self becomes a fetid, rancid pool

of want and need

and we live out our foulness

 

we see this every day

 

service is all about the love

about the expending, the giving away

the lifting up

 

service is not about eroding one’s self

giving one’s self away so completely that one is lost

(although there are moments for such sacrifice, ask Jesus)

 

but about making sure, that as we stumble on through this journey called life

that all have what they need to survive and flourish

 

service is about Kingdom living

about living in a way that would be suitable for the Kingdom of Love

service is about caring, and then sharing

service is about listening and understanding

service is about loving

 

it is about making sure all are housed

all are fed

call are clothed

all have healthcare

all have equal justice

all have opportunity

 

and being willing to give up some of one’s resources

(if one has enough)

to make this happen

 

it is to make sure all are valued

accepted

welcomed

included

safe

 

and being willing to give up privilege and power

to make that happen

 

domination created January 6^th

domination has created the conflict in Israel

domination is at the heart of racism

domination is driving voter suppression

domination is behind politicians doing what benefits them

rather than what benefits “we the people”

domination is behind fake news,

which seeks to manipulate and yes, control

 

but it is not the way of Jesus

and we cannot pretend

it is

 

we must choose the way of service, of servanthood

 

as Paul so eloquently pleads in Philippians 2

(I wonder how right wing Christianity misses this passage)

 

“…if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

 

it seems there are two paths only