Living life to the full

I would like to start this reflection with the following quote, one of my favorites by Marianne Robinson, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Christians are encouraged to live 'temperate' or 'modest' lives and a life of 'humility'. But most of the time, humility is perceived as weakness, timidity or stupidity. I wonder how many of us have been perceived or perceived others this way because they tried to live what the holy book teaches us. Scripture enjoins as to uphold these virtues but we should never get the message wrong and go about belittling ourselves and making ourselves small. Come to think of it, Christ admonishes us to let our light shine. scripture teaches us to put light on a lamp stand and put it in the open and not under a bushel.

I couldn't agree more with Marianne Robinson
(DRAFTED IN 2010)