“A Difficult Conversation”

Pastor Pine Shores

I recently sat around a table with Tim Dutton, Executive Director of SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans For Excellence (www.scopexcel.org), a Board member, the Executive Director and a staff person of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Florida (www.plannedparenthood.org/ppswcf).  I’m not posting this reflection to debate abortions with you.  I respect each of your opinions regardless of whether you and I agree or disagree.  You have every right to believe whatever you want about abortions.  So, let me be clear with you, this posting is not about abortions or the providers. This posting is about creating a community with less violence.  It is about creating a community of caring where justice is address. 

For me the impetus of this conversation happened to be the murder of Dr. Tiller.  For others the violence may be in the termination of a pregnancy which causes the death of a fetus/child. Still for others it may be a high school kid named Michael Mitchell who “pulled out a gun and shot Dan Azeff once in the chest” in downtown Sarasota.

The question is still the same for all of us: How do we create a community with less violence, more caring and where justice is valued? 

Dr. Tiller was shot in sacred space and among his faith community.  It was a Sabbath day for him and he was in a place of sanctuary.  I’m drawn into this conversation because if it could happen at the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas, it can happen at here Pine Shores Presbyterian in Sarasota, FL  (www.pineshorespres.org). Granted, the violence might be because of a different reason but I’ve now become convinced that the time has arrived for mainline, moderate, reasonable everyday kind-of Christians to become intentionally engaged in addressing violence on a different scale.  We have to do something different to reduce the violence and the influence violence has in our communities and in our lives.  Fortifying our gated community, building new and bigger jails, approving harsher jail sentences may still have validity but it shouldn’t be the only strategy because it’s not working. Beyond the numbers of reported violent crimes, which can be studied, interpreted and then rationalized, there is a deeper and more insidious influence that suggests that violence has become normalized and we’ve simply become accustomed to it and tolerant it’s presence.  Violence in our culture is not going away until we want it to and are willing to work to create “a more excellent way.” I’m concerned because it seems like we’re not concerned about what violence does to a community and the effects it has in our lives. 

 

So what is next? The result of that initial gathering is that we have agreed to begin a clergy conversation centered on decreasing violence in our community. I don’t know whether we’ll get many clergy around the table.  I don’t know what the conversation sounds like.  I don’t know whether it’s going to be worth the personal consequences I’ll have to address because of leadership role in this conversation, but I do know that I don’t want a Dr. Tiller murder to happen on Central Ave., on Beechwood Ave. or anywhere else in Sarasota. I also know that until I and you do something nothing will change.  Any thoughts or suggestions?  Any help?

 

There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

 

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer

Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

“Love is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.”

What a bunch of…#@$%^!+

The first couple of weeks in May are hard on me. For some reason my body drastically reacts to the heat. The weird thing is that the temperature is only a degree or two higher but my body translates these few degrees into the onslaught of the summer heat. You would figure after all these years in Florida the transition into the summer would not affect me but it takes its toll. Now, the best thing about this time of transition is that I get crabby and when I get this way I notice that I am more apt to respond to those stupid things that catch my attention. This is particularly true when it comes to TV commercials. On April 24th, Subaru of America announced a new marketing campaign, and I quote: “…based on the strong emotional bond Subaru owners have with their vehicles.” The campaign was developed by the Carmichael Lynch agency of Minneapolis, MN. Okay, so here is why I’m so perturbed. The tag line is “Love is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.”

I am not a social critic; I’m a pastor in a crabby mood because of the heat. But do they actually believe that it is love that makes a Subaru, a Subaru? If they do believe that, let me strongly suggest therapy and if they don’t believe it why would they create such drivel? Does the creative team of Carmichael Lynch honestly believe that they can manipulate my subconscious into buying a car based on a complete misrepresentation of love? Let me be clear, Subarus are automobiles and the cars Subaru builds are not produced by love or in love. (Ponder that for a moment. That was sick.) Subaru of America is the marketing arm of products manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. They make Subarus to make money and there is nothing philanthropic about their mission. Love has nothing to do with selling Subarus. My anger is because the process from creative collaboration and design to final production dismissed and inappropriately misrepresented the essence and action of love. I continue to be startled by the sheer audacity and arrogance of corporate America to define core values and actions in ways that benefit their bottom line, their sorry mission. I am equally saddened by the inability or unwillingness of highly talented and good people who give enormous amounts of time, energy and skills in their professions to challenge bad assumptions and wrong directions.

Let me suggest to the creative team of Carmichael Lynch, you can’t love a thing and shame on you for minimizing the value that love has in life. Love is not what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Love is that which enables us to sit in the hospital room with a friend so nauseated from the chemo that he just wants it be over. Love is not what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Love is that which holds a family together when a crash occurs at midnight and your 16 year son is pronounced dead on arrival. Love is not what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Loves is that which celebrates 61 years of marriage only to watch hopelessly as your lover fade away with Alzheimer’s. Love is not what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Love is that which welcomes a newborn into the world and celebrates a graduation, and walks a daughter down the aisle. Next time you’re sitting around trying to be creative, don’t cheapen what has ultimate value in our lives. Go home early today, eat dinner with your family and tell them you love them.

There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer

Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

If every second counts then every ‘can’ counts more

During the Super Bowl there are sixty-seven 30 second commercial spots available. Now before you get all excited about the possibility of advertising during the big game, let me remind you that the average cost for a 30 second commercial is 3 million dollars. That means every second is worth $100,000, every second literally costs some serious bucks. If my math is correct that means there will be a total of 201 million dollars generate for NBC in commercials alone. Okay, if that was not surprising enough I discovered that you can actually place a wager on what TV commercial will be the Super Bowl winner. (I can’t make this stuff up.) The odds-makers have Anheuser-Busch as the favorite at 4-1, followed by the Monsters vs. Aliens movie 3D at 6-1. Other notables include Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, both listed at 8-1. The Tax Service H&R Block is the long shot of the field, listed at 15-1. I don’t even know what to say particularly when Feeding America (www.secondharvest.org/) the national organization states that 17% children live in hunger or food insecure households. It is hard to believe that the United States has the highest child poverty rate of any other industrialized nation. 35 million people in the United States live in households considered to be food insecure. That number of people would fill over 500 NFL stadiums. There is enough food produce to feed the world. The problem is inequality in both wealth and food distribution.
Sarasota is a very affluent community. I am thankful to live in such a great area but even here 40% of school children qualify for free or reduced meals. The school system has identified over 900 children who are homeless. All Faiths Food Bank (www.allfaithsfoodbank.org) reports that 16% of the people served are elderly. They often have to choose between buying medicine or food. We have to pay attention to more important things, to the very things that make our lives meaningful.
The Youth Group at Pine Shores Presbyterian set the goal of raising $13,093.00 on Souper Bowl Sunday. They hope, perhaps expect, to collect 1 dollar more than last year. The Youth Group was forth in the denomination (PCUSA) last year and decided that to make the super bowl more than just an entertaining evening they would challenge each other and this congregation to embody the biblical imperative to feed the hungry. In addition, to raising money, they have set the goal for us to collect 1000 cans soup (exceeding last years total by 125). They have worked hard to inspire us to “put our love into action.” I have made a rather substantial commitment. If we reach the goals, I will shave my head. If you want to see what I would look like bald, visit www.pineshoresyouth.org. Take the hunger test, check your answers and follow the link. I look good but more importantly people who are hungry will be fed.

There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

The Prophetic and The Pragmatic

One Monday January 19th Dr. Martin Luther King would have been 80 years old. In my everyday world celebrating your 80th birthday does not make you old. Most of the 80 year olds I know (and there are a bunch of them) are highly engaged in the business of the trends and demands of the day and surely they are active in the business of their faith community. Their voice and presence are and will continue to influence how faith is embodied, covenants are maintained and community is lived out. I am grateful for the wisdom, the dedication and commitment that come with experience. I pause to reflect about what Tuesday January 20th would feel like and mean to Dr. King. As a public figure, Dr. King spoke within the prophetic tradition. His words shined light on not merely the personal sins, prejudice and bigotry; his words forced us as a society to see the sins of integration and to confront the reality of an implied revisionist national history. His genius was his embodiment of a prophetic voice and his commitment to dissect the lies that we chose to accept as truth. Prophets are unlikeable because they expose our “blind spots.” Nobody likes to be the object of the prophet’s discourse. We do not like to be told we are wrong. Dr. King’s words challenged the perfunctory definitions that we learned around the kitchen table, in the classroom and even at church camp about them and us and who and whose and why and why not. It could be argued that prophets do more harm than they do good because nobody likes the voices that calls for change. For some Dr. King’s birthday was a mistake voted by “those liberals” in 1983. (Just a quick refresher course. The House passed the King Holiday Bill by an overwhelming vote of 338-90, with significant bipartisan support and liberals like Reps. Jack Kemp and Newt Gingrich voted for it, and before it passed the House, President Reagan indicated that he would not veto it.) Let me suggest that as we live into this week, perhaps we’ll realize that the distinctions created between the majority and minorities may have started shifting more toward a realized society that acknowledges, accepts and values diversity rather than to dismiss the minority as flawed or defective or un-American. On Tuesday as our 44th President takes the oath of office I am convinced that the meaning of the prophet, rather than the words and tone, will remain securely within his practice and my prayer for President Obama is that he embodies the skill of a pragmatist to shift the trends and move us forward another path. The rhetoric of the prophet has been heard and we have finally embraced that challenged. We now need the rhythm of the pragmatist to guide us forward. Be certain that I don’t equate a pragmatic methodology in the negative, casual nor is it the achievement of results at any cost, that’s what I call stupid. The pragmatist puts meaning into the ideal in practical ways. Life together is not a dream. It is as the great Billy Preston once sang, “the way God planned it to be, the way God wants it to be.”

There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl

Change is not always bad

Recently, Karen and I met a couple for dinner. We were a few minutes early so the hostess seated us, we ordered our beverages and chatted until we saw the couple heading toward the table. Well, the couple we were meeting was laughing as they made there way over. As they seated themselves, they were still giggling. Something obviously funny happen so I inquired: “What’s so funny? They looked at each other, hesitated for a few moments and finally spoke up. “Well when we entered the restaurant we told the hostess that we were meeting a couple, and she said “Oh you’re meeting the older couple. They are over there.” After the initial shock of being perceived as an older couple, I began to ponder – perhaps it’s time to begin making a shift in my thought process. Now, I don’t think that this will necessary bring a traumatic response in my life. It’s not going to cause me to trade Karen in or to take ballroom dancing. I don’t think the shift or change is a bad thing at all. There comes a time when shifts occur in life.
Today change is more than thematically prevalent. As individuals and as a nation we need to shift thoughts, words and actions. Change is now necessary. It is necessary personally, diplomatically, economically and socially. But the problem is that “we” – the “status quo” do not change well. In a strange moment I read “The Conservative Soul” by Andrew Sullivan who reminded his readers that the status quo is not intended to change but rather stay similar. So the tension is naturally created between a system that is opposed to change and what really needs to happen. There is an innate resistance to change and the default mode is to always “stay the course.” Status quo minimizes change. Change is never actualized because the status quo does not allow it to effectively achieve its intended purposes. Change requires an event or some stimuli to achieve results.
We enter this New Year with a political shift that for a majority is hopeful and for all citizens historic. Barak Obama is seen as a precursor for real political and diplomatic change. There has been a drastic change in the economy that has significant impact. I do not know anyone who has not been affected by the conditions of the market. But this change is also a precursor and I believe this is a good thing (“good” doesn’t deny nor dismiss the painful affect it is having on individuals or families) but without this change I’m convinced that we would become even more absorbed into “believing in the lie as if it were the truth” and we would end up walking further and further and further away until one day we’ll just wake up and forget what ultimately matters.
2009 is a time of change and as followers of the Christ let me encourage you to be a healthy presence by embracing the core traits of your faith. As you begin this New Year remember who you are and whose you are. “Do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good, acceptable and perfect.”There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

Paying Attention to Mental Illness

This past Saturday I led the service of celebration for a 35 year old man who decided to take his own life. He lay down next to the exhaust pipe in his garage and died; a critical and tragic decision that for his family and friends will have lasting consequences. He was one of those guys who had everything going for him. He had a father and mother who loved him. His father gave him every opportunity to succeed. He received a first-rate college education without debt. He was given a start in the family business and immediately had tenure. He had 2 kids from a marriage that didn’t work but the relationship with the ex-wife was civil. He loved his kids and they loved him. He had great friends, a gang of guys who hung together but more importantly remained connected through it all, helping and caring for one another despite the circumstances and choices. He was a fun guy who lived large and enjoyed life.

Mental illness has been on my mind during this advent season. Our themes during this season have been on waiting, watching, preparing and proclaiming. Perhaps it’s a pathway for me to begin exploring the issues and difficulties of mental illness. Beyond a few chapters in a seminary course I do not have any real knowledge when it comes to mental illness, and yet I find myself in place asking how I can be more aware and better equipped to respond rather then react. In a recent study by SCOPE (Sarasota Country Openly Plans for Excellence) their reports states that:

National data indicate that 35% of the population have an immediate family member with mental illness. Family members and caretakers often suffer emotional and physical consequences as a result of mental illness in a loved one. More than one in five Americans has a diagnosable mental illness. In Sarasota County 27,065 people ages 18-54, and 28,561 people ages 55 and older have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
An estimated 5,944 children ages 9-17 have a mental health or addictive disorder in Sarasota County. Twenty-one percent of high school students in Sarasota County report that they have seriously considered suicide, and 15% report that they have attempted suicide.
Over 31% of the total population of Sarasota County is 65 or older. Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental health issues among older adults. Less than one percent of depressed older adults will ask for help. Without treatment, depression in older adults can lead to physical illness, alcohol abuse, and suicide.

There are a number of helpful resources available. I have included the link from the SCOPE study that provides a list of available resources and links.
http://www.scopexcel.org/scope_studies/mental_health/related_websites.html
For those Presbyterian and anyone else interested let me draw your attention to the Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network (PSMIN) as another resource to be used http://www.pcusa.org/phewa/psmin.html

During this “most wonderful time of the year” perhaps we should pay attention to the needs of those often excluded from full participation in society.

There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

“A Christmas Problem”

Before worship this past Sunday I had an interesting conversation with a friend. She was in a quandary about Christmas presents. It’s not what you expect particularly under these economic conditions. She has 2 boys. One is twelve and other is seven. Apparently, as she was describing her problem, neither of her boys wants anything for Christmas. They both are content with the stuff they have and don’t see a need for presents. (For those who know me – I have a tendency to be creative in my interpretations. Actually I make things up a lot but this one is actually true.) What is impressive is that it’s not because the boys are aware of the economic conditions of the time (both parents happen to be in real estate); this family is comfortable and secure even in these trying times. They are minimally affected as a family. Her boys just don’t want any present for Christmas. It’s not that they didn’t put anything on their list and then expected Mom/Dad/ Santa Claus to surprise them. She was as serious as anyone could be. Her boys were good with what they already have and didn’t want anything more.
The mother said her family is going to support a mission project, which is why we were having the conversation in the first place. Pine Shores is beginning to raise funds to install water filtration systems and partner with Living Waters for the World. (www.livingwatersfortheworld.org). Our goal is to install two systems in 2009 and raise the additional funds to install a special system on a ship for medical missions. I know that this family will do something significant to help us meet our goal so I didn’t have to push the project. Her problem was what to do with Santa Claus. Santa’s function was at serious risk. This was a very entertaining conversation for me because we never did Santa Claus at the house (and according to my spouse that’s why our children are in therapy.) I was absolutely of no value or help to her – none at all. I smiled and listened but I was blank, I had that “Earnest out-to-lunch”  look on my face. You know that look – no wisdom, no insights, no help. I have no doubt that she’ll figure this out because she is really smart, a woman of faith, a great mom and her children are wiser than their age.

But I entered worship thinking about expectations. What do I expect to happen in this season of Advent and Christmas? In a world where we treat each other in such demeaning, damning and destructive ways, what do I expect that Christ can really do? And then from the prophet Isaiah I heard the words in the 61st chapter. It is a very clear picture of what God promises. It is good news, it is caring for the broken hearted, it is proclaiming liberty and release, it is comforting, giving and providing. It is imagined as both a restored city and as an abundant garden. God’s salvation is real, tangibly earthy, very personal and this-worldly. What God promises is not about another place, not about the North Pole nor even heaven; because it is really about the reality of this world as it should be and could be. It is about what we do, and will do as followers of Christ. On this Sunday of Advent maybe we should expect Christ poignantly to come and challenge our hesitant hearts and stir us to have more courage and faith so that we can embody more fully the Christ-like life and express it in principle and practice. What we expect of Christ we should see in each other and ourselves. The question for us has little to do with expectations and everything to do with embodiment.
There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

“Spiritual Balance”

Center of balance is what they (my loving family) said was the purpose as I stood on this board; feet spend at equal distance facing the TV. The latest toy around the house is the Wii Fit thing and the night’s activity was balance. This program of the Wii Fit checks the balance of your posture and your BMI. Once the measurement is complete, you are able to see where your center of balance is located and your current BMI. I discovered that BMI means Body Mass Index which I then learned is a measurement of body fat based on your height and weight. The confirmation came that I had too much body fat and I leaned to the left. Wow I could of had a V-8 and told you that but it did get me thinking about balance. Usually, I react after too much, like too much food or too much libations, too much late night excursions or too much physical activity. For me balancing always comes after too much.
But just recently I started looking at balance from the other side – from the too little side. What is it that I don’t add into my life because of the choices I make? Or the excuses I make and the rationalizations that I accept? What is not present in my daily activities that would balance my center and give me good footing, enhance a non-anxious posture and a more effectiveness presence? Surprising, you know what I discovered? I discovered there was no quiet in my day. There is no time for nothingness to dance in my head. I spend day after day, either being constructive, creative or careless or I have to deal with criticism, conflict and contradictions – the noise that is created day after day lingers long into the evening and late into the night. I have too much noise and the noise or the noisy always get my attention. I’m out of balance not because of too much but because there is too little time for quietness and silent listening.
Now, granted some of my people believe that I’m going through my mid-life crisis, but if that is true you would think at the very least I would get new golf clubs or take a road trip with my not so holy buddies. I think I just had enough noise and I am more ready to listen to new sounds – sounds that I can hear when there is silence.
For the most part I’ve turned off the TV, phone and put the computer to sleep. I started walking and reading but mostly I started just sitting, being quiet and listening.
Menucha is a Hebrew word meaning “ever changing; renewing stillness.” It is the word used in the phrase of the 23rd Psalm about “being lead beside the still waters and having one’s soul restored.” Let me encourage you into finding that renewing place and restoring your balance. Do not let the noise become so much that you begin to believe the murmurings, its noise, the noise of a fearful world. We going in the wrong direction, hearing the stuff that the world is shouting out, distorting the very meaning of the who and what life is meant to be. I’ve discovered that when you are quiet you will hear and when you hear you will find that more excellent way.
There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

“Domestic Violence…if it’s not personal is it your problem?”

I wish that I could be clever with this week’s posting but when dealing with violence, specifically domestic violence, there no way to dance around the destructive and damaging impact that it has on individuals, families and our society. As sophisticated as we think we are there is still a real and very serious problem with domestic violence. The American Psychological Association stated: “Family violence may be one of the most significant factors underlying many serious social problems, and its effects may be longer lasting and more damaging than other forms of personal violence.” The hue of domestic violence will always be the maintenance of power and control over another. But “what about” and “what about” only deflect from the commitment to address the core cause and create a new way – perhaps a more excellent way. I don’t want you to stop reading now but I am sadly aware that for many of us if it’s not personal it’s not our problem. Yet as people of faith I believe we have a biblical imperative to take seriously our responsibility in countering, decreasing and overcoming violence within our homes. Bishop Desmond Tutu reminds us that: “if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressors.” I believe that as a faith community we are called to be an instrument of healing and the expression of hope. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and there has to be more than a political correctness that motivates us to become involved. Whether there are 1 million or 5 million victims annually or whether the chances are one in four or three in four, and whether violence to women occurs every 7 or 27 seconds, it remains totally unacceptable for anyone to be a victim of domestic violence. It is wrong. It is the manifestation of evil. For the impact of the statistics lies not in the numbers I quoted, but in the individual lives of the people that it affects. I am talking about real human beings who are suffering unnecessarily at the hands of another person’s choice and action. As a child the victim might have been abused, grown up in a middle-class home, worked throughout her life, gone to college and earned an advance degree. She married late in life to a professional man and never had children. She is the quiet type who stays to herself. She is a woman of color who believes in Jesus. Or perhaps she was not abused as a child at all and never held a job. She is young, not yet married, and poor with children. She is an extrovert, drug free and believes in something but is not religious. Domestic violence occurs among all races, and socioeconomic groups; there is simply no typical victim of domestic violence. She is everywhere around us even sitting next to us in the pews. Statistically 95% of domestic violence victims are women, and regardless of who is being victimized, domestic violence is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by religious communities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us that violence is everyone’s problem.
If you are in an abusive relationship or have been a victim of assault – know that you are not alone and that it is not your fault. You deserve to feel safe and loved and there is hope for a more excellent way. There are resources available to you.
If you have a friend or loved one who needs help, here is what you can do: express your care and concern, listen without judgment, be patient and supportive, and provide the resources for help and safety.
Many communities have local shelters and crisis centers available. Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) is our local agency here in Sarasota, Florida. Their website is http://www.sparcc.net and the 24-hour crisis hotline number is 941-365-1976.
I encourage each one of you to refresh yourself on the local resources available and become engaged in better understanding the issues so we can break the silence that surrounds domestic violence. In some way I challenge you to participate in Domestic Violence Awareness Month and help make a difference. I look forward to hearing your responses.There is power in your invitation so live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope, experience the Joy; and remember “It’s a brand new day

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.

“SOB or COG”

At our leadership retreat this past week I asked the question: “What do you think or do when someone cuts you off as you’re driving?” The responses were predicable and very entertaining. No hand gestures were used. But we all got the point and laughter filled the room.
I then asked what would happen if instead of saying “you SOB”, we thought “Child of God”? What would happen if our default response was “Child of God”? What would happen internally to each of us if we responded by identifying “the other” as one who belongs to God? What would that mean to “the other” who sees what our eyes say to them? A very interesting conversation occurred as a result of this exercise.
So I was intrigued and tried a little experiment the past couple of days. Every time I saw a real person I intentionally thought “Child of God.” I did not develop that thought nor did it linger. Sometimes it came out as a whisper but mostly I just simply said it in my head “Child of God.” Now believe me when I say that it was easier in theory than in practice because I first had to notice and see people who came into my vision and then I had to think “Child of God.” People walking or running down the side walk, people at the gas station, the upset parishioner, the folks at the grocery store, the persons who were stopped next to me at the light, the kids waiting for the school bus, the little old (very old) man who pull out in front of me on Tamiami, every single one of them I said to my self “Child of God.”
I remember reading somewhere that it takes 21 consecutive days of practice before something can become a new habit. So my 2 plus day experiment is not nearly long enough to change my conditioned behavior. I’m committed to trying. The truth is that I feel better and the last 2 days have gone better. I’m dealing with conflicts more effectively. I don’t feel near as anxious or angry when facing issues. I’m not running away from issues nor am I backing off from those uncomfortable situations. I’m just seeing “the other” as one who belongs to God.
I believe that there is something to this and after a while of practice, perhaps my default response will change. How can things not change for me if I stop identifying people through labels or emotions and start seeing them as God sees them? When I see someone as one who belongs to God my need to judge is challenged by my desire to care. So a simply switch might mean all the difference in dealing with the ordinary stuff that happens on our lives. Let me encourage you to run your own experiment. Perhaps your response will make a difference in your life.

Receive God’s Richest Blessing – live in Grace, embody your Faith, express the Hope: and remember “It’s a brand new day.”

Written by Rev. Bruce Wismer
Co – Pastor at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church Sarasota, Fl.