Top of the morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. We want to "keep in touch" with the Pilgrims past and present, living far and near. We are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Church on Sunday, November 9. You'll get a letter about planned events, and be sure to attend, if at all possible. If you cannot attend, please send an email greeting.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we meet a Priest who ignored a badly injured man lying on the roadside. His view of life: "What's mine, I'll keep it." The Priest had no time or concern to share.
This attitude reminds me of a classic story which Dostoevsky wrote about a woman who died and went to hell. In her agony, she cried for help. At length, an angel answered: "I can help if you remember one altogether unselfish thing you did on earth." Finally, the woman remembered a withered carrot she had once given to a beggar. Checking the record, the angel confirmed that this was an unselfish act.
So down the limitless space which separated heaven from hell was lowered a withered carrot on a slender string. It did not seem that it could bear her weight and lift her out of torment. She grasped the carrot and slowly began to rise. Then she felt a weight dragging her. She looked down and saw others clinging to her, hoping to escape torment. "Let go", she cried, "the carrot won't hold us all." But they held on and again she cried, "Let go, this is my carrot." And at that point the string broke, and she fell back into the pains of hell.
That sums up the fate of anyone who lives with the view "What's mine, I'll keep it."
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
2008.10.20 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. If you have email addresses for former members and friends of Pilgrim Church, who you think may like to get our Monday Morning Message, please send them to Donna at the Church email address above. We want to "Keep in Touch"!
Jesus, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10:25-37), gives us a word picture of three views of life. The first, represented by robbers, is "What's his is mine, I'll take it!"
Cunning and resourceful, those robbers were preoccupied with material riches. They took what belonged to the traveler on the seven mile stretch of road from Jerusalem to Jericho, beat him half to death, and fled.
Their blurred values - "What's his is mine, I'll take it" - and the decision to rob had to be kept secret. If they were caught, they would be ready with a cover-up story.
Decisions which need to be hidden are not uncommon in our society. Robbers are found at every level, and when they are caught they try to get out of the mess which they should not have gotten into in the first place.
Beware of any decisions you make which must be hidden.
Peace,
Richard
Jesus, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10:25-37), gives us a word picture of three views of life. The first, represented by robbers, is "What's his is mine, I'll take it!"
Cunning and resourceful, those robbers were preoccupied with material riches. They took what belonged to the traveler on the seven mile stretch of road from Jerusalem to Jericho, beat him half to death, and fled.
Their blurred values - "What's his is mine, I'll take it" - and the decision to rob had to be kept secret. If they were caught, they would be ready with a cover-up story.
Decisions which need to be hidden are not uncommon in our society. Robbers are found at every level, and when they are caught they try to get out of the mess which they should not have gotten into in the first place.
Beware of any decisions you make which must be hidden.
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 12, 2008
2008.10.13 Monday Morning!
Greetings from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.
My "Pearl of Value" today is practicable and important!
A young friend told me that he joined a "Speakers Club" to improve his public speaking skills. I applaud the intent to the group and the desire of my friend. If preachers were required to be members of such clubs, there would be less harangue from the pulpits, and shorter sermons!
"Speakers Clubs" are valuable, but is there a club dedicated to the art of listening? Let me know if you find one. All of us do a lot of talking. Can we learn to devote more time to listening rather than talking? All about us there is a great deal of talking, and shouting, too, but very little listening.
Many lost friendships and many family break-ups are traceable to the lost art of listening. When was the last time you listened attentively to others without interrupting?
Listening is not easy! It requires patience and a lot of caring, but the rewards of listening are great. When we listen to others we open channels of communication which enable us to touch and be touched so that all are enlarged.
The gift of listening was recognized as important by the ancient King Solomon who asked not for power or wealth, but for a "listening heart."
Peace,
Richard
My "Pearl of Value" today is practicable and important!
"Listening is a gift worth cultivating."
A young friend told me that he joined a "Speakers Club" to improve his public speaking skills. I applaud the intent to the group and the desire of my friend. If preachers were required to be members of such clubs, there would be less harangue from the pulpits, and shorter sermons!
"Speakers Clubs" are valuable, but is there a club dedicated to the art of listening? Let me know if you find one. All of us do a lot of talking. Can we learn to devote more time to listening rather than talking? All about us there is a great deal of talking, and shouting, too, but very little listening.
Many lost friendships and many family break-ups are traceable to the lost art of listening. When was the last time you listened attentively to others without interrupting?
Listening is not easy! It requires patience and a lot of caring, but the rewards of listening are great. When we listen to others we open channels of communication which enable us to touch and be touched so that all are enlarged.
The gift of listening was recognized as important by the ancient King Solomon who asked not for power or wealth, but for a "listening heart."
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 5, 2008
2008.10.06 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.
People consult the stars and tea leaves in an effort to unveil the future. However, if we knew what was going to happen tomorrow and the day after, and all the tomorrows that are to be, wouldn't life lose its zest and excitement? It would be boring to play out life mechanically! Thank God we are not robots. We have freedom to determine the shape of our tomorrows by what we do today.
Our future depends largely on what we place in store for the future. Not the stars, nor cards, but our own actions will determine the shape of things to come.
Our "Pearl of Value" comes from Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning:
With blessings and best wishes,
Richard
People consult the stars and tea leaves in an effort to unveil the future. However, if we knew what was going to happen tomorrow and the day after, and all the tomorrows that are to be, wouldn't life lose its zest and excitement? It would be boring to play out life mechanically! Thank God we are not robots. We have freedom to determine the shape of our tomorrows by what we do today.
Our future depends largely on what we place in store for the future. Not the stars, nor cards, but our own actions will determine the shape of things to come.
Our "Pearl of Value" comes from Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning:
"Turn your predicaments into achievements - you have that capacity."
With blessings and best wishes,
Richard
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