Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
MYSTERY OF RELATIONSHIP
2Timothy 2: 20-22
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Tim 2:22)
2Timothy 2: 20-22
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Tim 2:22)
Let us start today's meditation with an experience of a person who moved from Kerala to US. After coming here very soon he got his license and one late night he was driving back to his home. On the way he reached a red traffic light. He stopped there for a while and after finding no one on any four roads intersecting at that traffic signal — as he did in Kerala he just drove ahead violating red signal. All of a sudden a cop came flashing his lights behind him and pulled him aside for the traffic signal violation. Cop asked him why he violated the red signal and he replied, "There was nobody there". And you know what the Cop replied, "But I was there" and with gratitude blessed him with a ticket.
Can invisibility be accepted as denial of someone's existence? Not at all! This is true about our relationships also. Every relationship has some visible elements and some Invisible elements. Visible elements are — other person's personality, his/her looks, conversations, deeds etc. But what are the invisible elements?
Living a deep sense of being set apart:v.20 confirms that as a community we are total sum of DISTINCT human beings. And our goodness is not defined by our color, ethnicity, status, financial wellness etc. Instead our goodness is defined by being set apart for God (v21). To Be Set Apart for God means giving full authority and control over life to God. Where God becomes the only centre of life. And v.22 says that from this point only we can think about the remaining 4 invisible elements of the relationship. And they are following:
Righteous and Love: Word Righteous is formed by two words 'Right' and 'Wise'. Hence Righteous means "One Who is Wise Enough to Confirm with Right". Than what is 'Right'? Only God's Commandments are Right. And Christ has summarized them in two — Love God and Love Others. In today's world Love is the most commercialized commodity. Is 'Love' an Emotion or a Decision. Even though in Love emotions are Involved but love is not an emotion. Because emotions changes according to the life situations. But true love is unchanging. Hence Love is not an emotion instead it is "An Intentional Decision for Commitment".
Faith and Peace: Faith means to trust someone and trust happens only when we know someone. But we cannot know a person in a moment instead it happens only by being in a genuine relationship with someone. At the end Peace means "To live in contentment and with harmony in a Relationship". When we know someone very deeply; we will be compassionate & accommodative to that person and that relationship will be fulfilling to Us. Let us intentionally commit ourselves to genuine relationships beyond the limits of race, color, language, ethnicity and regionalism so that our future generations can inherit a peaceful world.
Can invisibility be accepted as denial of someone's existence? Not at all! This is true about our relationships also. Every relationship has some visible elements and some Invisible elements. Visible elements are — other person's personality, his/her looks, conversations, deeds etc. But what are the invisible elements?
Living a deep sense of being set apart:v.20 confirms that as a community we are total sum of DISTINCT human beings. And our goodness is not defined by our color, ethnicity, status, financial wellness etc. Instead our goodness is defined by being set apart for God (v21). To Be Set Apart for God means giving full authority and control over life to God. Where God becomes the only centre of life. And v.22 says that from this point only we can think about the remaining 4 invisible elements of the relationship. And they are following:
Righteous and Love: Word Righteous is formed by two words 'Right' and 'Wise'. Hence Righteous means "One Who is Wise Enough to Confirm with Right". Than what is 'Right'? Only God's Commandments are Right. And Christ has summarized them in two — Love God and Love Others. In today's world Love is the most commercialized commodity. Is 'Love' an Emotion or a Decision. Even though in Love emotions are Involved but love is not an emotion. Because emotions changes according to the life situations. But true love is unchanging. Hence Love is not an emotion instead it is "An Intentional Decision for Commitment".
Faith and Peace: Faith means to trust someone and trust happens only when we know someone. But we cannot know a person in a moment instead it happens only by being in a genuine relationship with someone. At the end Peace means "To live in contentment and with harmony in a Relationship". When we know someone very deeply; we will be compassionate & accommodative to that person and that relationship will be fulfilling to Us. Let us intentionally commit ourselves to genuine relationships beyond the limits of race, color, language, ethnicity and regionalism so that our future generations can inherit a peaceful world.
Prayer:
O God, help us to experience the harmony of relationship. Amen.
O God, help us to experience the harmony of relationship. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Mankind cannot experience peace unless there is harmony in relationships.
Mankind cannot experience peace unless there is harmony in relationships.
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church