2023-07-12 A Meditation on Cloistered Appraisal
“8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Php 4:8-9 ESV)
Released on our own recognisance, unto a world bruising and gone mad, the cloaked reality becomes front and center our interest, our comprehension, that things are seen that formerly were wearying as assumed or wandered amongst or half-digested. The love shown by one person, is suddenly a wake-up call. The patience shown by another, is suddenly a facet to emphasize. The hardened atheism of yet another, is again a chance to step back, cloistered-like in reaction, in remove, in alter-mode, and to laugh a bit or to see all things are shifting, on a fulcrum, counter-balanced and malleable.
That is, we are ourselves congratulated to observe the debt due another soul for their plain parenting calm or friendly reminder or collegial heads up. All those things we seemingly ignorantly wander through, half-asleep, or not stepping back to vacate and vacation and be wondrous in all admonitions heard, to be warned of taking care not to approach any danger, yet in this warning to remember much Love.
We are indeed in mortal danger of hurting ourselves, by some of the ebbs and flows, shifts and dissections; were we not content with our lot in life? Or were we emphatically endeared to this change in scenery that comes upon us when we somehow see life through the passing scenery of a car trip or some mystically-special time of prayer. Prayer itself: we laud and flatter and idolize “prayer”, but there is such a thing as a hasty muttered exclamation or petition that is indeed a Bulwark, Invite, Head Trip of how things might be perceived from a renewed distance and perch.
Our perch is not greedy or covetous to own it all, but rather is accepting of a bit of unction for those pained, those failures to “Be careful” times, those limbs and ligaments wounded, yes wounded, by Today’s Life. Today’s Lifestyle, some insist, making a political bent out of a more clinical, pastoral, reaction: Life is indeed any and all Lifestyle, and it is not this that hurts us but rather the crazed determination of the mind and soul to find Release and hope for tomorrow Composition, out of the wild party or the daring Christian act of throwing all our giftings up for grabs, diving into the conversation without a thought in the world for our own sensitive shell.
The soldier, then, is indeed wounded at all times perhaps, but in this woundedness Rises more strong, knowledgeable of a greater Peace and Fearlessness, because the worst has been seen, and if more is to come, then it shall not be upon innocence, but rather upon sane self-appraisal and honesty: how one destroys limb and tendon, another destroys hope and innocence. If it were not for a loving Father, Parent, Mother, Brother, Sister Above, it is anyone’s guess where our healthy drive would come from.