Being Crafty

Week of Oct. 23, 2011 – Boldly Shaping Partners of God for the Transformation of the World

Theme/Title:  “Being Crafty”

Scripture:  Isaiah 64:8; Colossians 3: 12-17; Romans 12: 14-21 & Luke 6: 27-31

Media:           “2nd Grade Teacher” by Target  on YouTube

Reflection:

“You are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” God has crafted us into who we are and God has placed within us a desire to be in relationships with God, others and ourselves that are healthy and that help move humankind to the place God dreams we will be.

Many things have shaped us over our lives: experiences, successes, failures, risks, rewards, teachers, mentors, youth leaders, pastors, where we grew up, the schools we attended, the churches we were a part of, the organizations and institutions we belonged to, who we befriend and who we trust.  We are a product of so many forces and ingredients all of which play a part in making us who we are.  One key component in all this shaping is the choices we make concerning how much any influence will rule who we are and how we live.

We also are shapers, crafters, we are people who mold and influence others.  We are parents, co-workers, bosses, friends, grandparents, teachers, neighbors, members of groups and organizations, we serve on boards, we vote, we mentor and we live our lives of faith openly and honestly.  All this shapes others in various ways and to varying degrees.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  This is the advice of Paul and Jesus concerning how you craft others and how you continue to shape yourself.

Faithful living involves one in a constant creative act – shaping yourself, crafting yourself so that you reflect the grace and love of God accurately and clearly to the world.  But it also is a shaping, a crafting of others through your words and deeds that helps create something that also reflects the grace and love of God accurately and clearly to others.  Shaping is a constant element in faithful living, crafting self and others is part of the work of partners of God, transforming yourself, others and the world brings creation one step closer to God. 

Meditation:

Who is it that helped shape you?  What events, experiences, and opportunities formed you?  How has God been active in crafting you?  Reflect on both the positive and the negative as both have tremendous influence on who you are and how you live faithfully in the world.

Prayer:

Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for those who shaped you.  Give thanks for the institutions and organizations that influenced you.  Thank God for the negatives that also helped make you who you are.  Ask God to open the hearts and minds and spirits of others that they may be shaped into faithful children of God.  Pray for an enemy or someone who wishes you harm.