Circle of Trust

Q’s Word of the Day:

We live in a fractured, polarized world. One of the biggest problems is that we push out others, isolate ourselves (and our tribe), and blame our “enemies.”

This situation, its root causes and ultimate resolution, reminded me of Exclusion and Embrace, an award-winning book by theologian Miroslav Volf, who as a Croatian experienced the violence of Yugoslavia’s civil war and the brutality of Serbs bent on his annihilation. He says that exclusion is the great problem facing humanity—the tendency to reject “others,” blame them for problems, and struggle against them.

Volf says the response must be to embrace others. But that embrace cannot happen until we open ourselves up (literally, in the metaphor he uses). And somebody has to open up first. That means we must be willing to be vulnerable to embrace others, and overcome the exclusion that leads to misunderstandings, suspicion, scapegoating, violence, etc.

So I challenge myself, and encourage my brethren, to be willing to be vulnerable as we embrace others. That’s how we reconcile with others, grow communities, and highly-impact the world.

Prayers:

For Mr. Miyagi, as he fights through his health battles. For Crabgrass and his family, as they walk through their loss and grief. For Zima, his brother-in-law, and family.

That the men of F3 would be blessed, and would be a blessing to others.