Making Stone Soup

 Most religions have some variation of the golden rule as a basic tenet: "do unto others as you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12). This commandment does not say "do unto those who think like you do, or look like you do", or "only those who you know well". It simply refers to other living beings, regardless of nationality, race, sex or any other qualifier. 

And yet, fear of, rather than respect for, "the other", seems to have led to a general cultural madness in this country. In the past several weeks, young people have been seriously injured or murdered in accidental encounters involving gun violence.  In one, a16 year old boy rang the wrong doorbell looking for his brothers and was shot in the head; in another, a 20 year old woman was shot and killed when she got lost and pulled in the wrong driveway; in another, two high school cheerleaders were critically injured by gunfire after mistakenly trying to enter the wrong car. We scratch our heads and ask: "what is happening here?"; "why are people so suspicious of strangers and so quick to pull the trigger before even speaking to someone?"

Do we blame the media that is obsessed with demonizing those who are different?  Do we blame the pandemic, which forced us into isolation for two years and caused us to fear other people?  Do we blame lax gun laws as well as a national obsession with gun ownership and protecting what is "mine"?  Do we blame people's generalized fear and anxiety about a changing world, plagued with inflation, disease, climate change and political divisions?

No doubt it's a combination of all of the above and other factors as well. It's impossible to know what is actually going on in the minds of others, obviously. But is there anything we can do, personally, about changing this culture?  Most of us feel powerless, for sure.

We can pray, certainly; we can adjust our own attitudes if need be. We can petition for common sense gun laws.  We can also be awake and aware, tuned in to those around us.  If we sense fear and mistrust in others around us, we can do whatever we can safely do to defuse the situation, to peacefully change minds and hearts.

What comes to my mind is a European children's folktale, called "Stone Soup", that speaks to this tendency humans have to fear the stranger, or the "other". The story is about three travelers who come to a town, hungry and tired. They knock on doors, searching for hospitality, but time after time, doors are slammed in their faces. The townspeople are experiencing a time of great need and are no doubt feeling deprived and fearful themselves.

The poor, hungry travelers come up with a plan, however. They decide to build a fire and fill a cauldron with water and one stone. The villagers, watching from a distance, come out to see what they're doing. The strangers tell them that they are making stone soup and if everyone contributes just one piece of food, there will soon be enough for all. So, each family, slowly, tentatively, puts something in the pot. First a carrot, then some potato, a little cabbage and so on. Before long, there is a delicious soup simmering that, when finished cooking, is enough to feed the whole village. The two strangers, once mistrusted and shunned, have now succeeded in building community where there had only been fear.

As this story illustrates, it is fear and deprivation (whether physical, emotional or spiritual") that causes people to mistrust others and to react in ways that are the direct antithesis of the golden rule. I believe this applies to our current societal tendency to be distrustful and reactive as well.  It is up to each one of us to do whatever we can, in our small spheres of influence, to try to be the love and light bearers that this world so desperately needs right now.

The Refreshment of Rain

The morning rain is welcome and refreshing after a week of very warm and dry spring weather. I let the water fall on my face as it journeys from sky to earth and imagine the ground receiving: yielding and softening, releasing nutrients for all the beautiful growing plants and creatures. I close my eyes and give thanks for the simple gift of water, sustaining life in all its forms.

I imagine the days before public water systems and irrigation, when praying for rain was a common practice. Early settlers relied on rain to produce the crops necessary for their survival. Native American cultures performed rain dances during dry spells and had celebrations when water began to fall from the sky. It must have seemed mystical, like nourishment from heaven. 

Today, Global warming and scarcity of water are a big part of the climate crisis we are facing right now, so I'm feeling that this morning's rain is really a sacred thing.  We often take water for granted in this part of the world, but there are areas, such as the Sudan, where it can mean the difference between life and death. Even in this country, great rivers like the Colorado and the Rio Grande are drying up, especially during periods of drought. So living in the Finger Lakes region, with an abundance of fresh water, seems like a real blessing.

This week, as we celebrate Earth Day on the 22nd, let's pause, be still and reflect on the beauty and incredible diversity of life on our amazing planet, giving thanks especially, for the refreshment of rain. 

Being Made New

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Our physical bodies are being renewed every day, even as we age. Through the process of exfoliation, old skin cells fall off and are replaced with new. Internally, our bodies go through a constant, daily routine of detoxification through our liver and kidneys. Our cells are regenerated daily as well. Even our brain cells, once believed to stop growing and rewiring after childhood, are being continually renewed through "neuroplasticity" or the ability of the brain to change and grow as we adapt to life experiences.

The more new experiences and stimulation the brain gets, the greater will be our neuroplasticity. We have the power to enhance all these processes through our lifestyle choices (exercising, eating healthy, learning new things, staying socially active, etc.) or we can allow ourselves to stagnate and wither as we age.

 The same is true of our spiritual growth, regardless of our age. The rituals we engage in at church can be lovely and comforting, but if we allow ourselves to be stuck in legalism (rigid rule following) or rote prayer that becomes devoid of any real meaning, we are not allowing for the real work of the Spirit, which is living, dynamic and rooted in love.

The Easter message is this in a nutshell: we can be made new, literally, as we let go of old negative patterns of belief, regrets, emotional pain, guilt over past mistakes...whatever it is that has us stuck. Once we have emptied ourselves of our emotional baggage and have begun to trust in a power greater than ourselves to transform us, the work of change and renewal starts. Like a spring flower, we can begin again.

Today, let's start fresh, trust in the Easter promise and be made new.

The Gift of Life

 The other day, I bought several packages of seeds and some dahlia bulbs. I look at them this morning and am struck anew at the miracle of life that we so often take for granted. I trust that I will plant those seeds and bulbs in soil, water them, give them some sunlight and in a few weeks, they will emerge from their seed shells to become something new. 

I know that the basil seeds will grow into beautiful green, fragrant leaves; the cilantro will be a curly, pungent flavoring for salads and tacos; the sunflower seeds will grow tall and showy; the dahlias will grace my garden with lovely, deep purple and peachy colors. As I think about this, I give thanks for the morning, for my own lungs that freely breathe the crisp air, for my ears that hear the excited cries of birds heralding spring; for my eyes that see the green and pale gold of early light.

This week, especially, as we meditate on the lessons of Easter with its themes of rebirth, renewal and its promises of eternal life, may we all open our eyes to the miracle and beauty of life. Romans 1:20 tells us that the evidence for the Creator is in the creation: look around and you will see tiny miracles everywhere. Examine a leaf or blade of grass through a microscope or even a magnifying glass, study the natural world from a cellular level, and there's no denying that there must be a Master Designer.

It's true that we live in a very imperfect world where terrible, tragic things happen, there is poverty, injustice and political discord; things that cannot be accepted or explained, but I believe there is hope for peace and healing. I choose to trust in miracles.