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March 2004
Commitments
By Retha McCutchen, FUM General Secretary
Whatever our age, life continues to teach and challenge. This growth keeps us fresh in our thinking, relationships and spiritual life. This morning I read in Acts about the appointment of Stephen to wait tables. On the next page he was preaching with such Spirit he was stoned to death. A simple thing like waiting tables with a Spirit-filled attitude leads to additional challenge.
I am writing this from Auckland, New Zealand, venue of the Friends World Committee for Consultation triennial. To arrive, I spent 36 hours in the air and 14 hours in airports. Most U.S. Friends I met had a 12-hour nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Auckland. One would think a seasoned traveler like myself would be more alert to a ticket that required four stops instead of one! Hopefully, I learned a few things from this experience to pay attention to detail, while recognizing cheap is not always best.
Attending a conference without responsibility afforded me the opportunity to spend time with people. One of my Kenyan Friends said to me, "You are different here. In Kenyan you move from here to there in a hurry. Here you are relaxed and we have conversations." This friend did me a favor. In the American context, we would call that eldering. Inattention to flight detail is frustrating. Inattention to relationships is unacceptable. I'm analyzing what I might change to give quality time to the people God places in my life.
The Christian life is relationship. Being with Christ, responding to him in service and respecting others is our call. As Friends, we hold dear the testimony of simplicity in all things, including our schedules, so we may focus on the important things in life. There is nothing more important than the people in our lives family, friends and Friends.
Take a deep breath. Slow down. Pay extra attention to the person you encounter today.
Copyright (c) 2004 Friends United Meeting
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