Good morning…
“In the human world, abundance does not happen automatically,” writes Parker Palmer on pages 107. “It is created when we have the sense to choose community, to come together to celebrate and share our common store. Whether the scarce resource is money or love or power or words, the true law of life is that we generate more of whatever seems scarce by trusting its supply and passing it around. Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them – and receive them from others when we are in need.” (Let Your Life Speak)
We generate more of whatever seems scarce by trusting its supply and passing it around? Such truth seems counter-intuitive: give more to receive more. Yet I saw God’s complex ecology in action this week as I answered my doorbell, midday, midweek. On my front porch stood Tee Davis, Julie Harlan’s mother. As many of you remember, Julie is a vibrant woman of faith who generously shared her life and love with many of us freely, consistently. Over a year ago, she passed away from a short, sudden battle with stomach cancer, dying just shy of her 42nd birthday.
We would all understand if Tee decided to stockpile Julie’s belongings, securing for herself beloved symbols of her daughter. Instead, Tee choose to share with me precious pieces of Julie’s jewelry. Earrings and necklaces that Julie once wore have been adorning my ears and neck all week long. I promised Tee I would pray about who in Julie’s community of friends might need a sweet piece from this shared collection. I trust that God will guide me to share with others a touch of Julie on a day they need it most.
He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it” (Matthew 13:52, MSG).
…Sue…
