March 20, 2024 – A

We grow up quite at the mercy
of our own perspective/perceptions.

How we look determines--or strongly influences--
what we see,
and what we see determines--or strongly influences--
what we do in response
throughout the entire course of our life.

If we would only look at our seeing,
at the way we see what we look at,
with an investigative mind,
asking the questions that beg to be asked,
and saying the things that cry out to be said,
what a different person we would be!

But no.

We are who we are because we refuse 
to examine how we see,
to see how we see,
and how it is a function 
of what we expect to see,
and not an accurate representation
of what is actually there.

We are such jerks--
and "jerks" is a wonderfully
more accurate description of us all
than the word "sinners" is.

"Sinners" is the description applied to us
by those who are trying to sell us "salvation."
And we rid ourselves of that designation
by "accepting Jesus as our Lord and savior,"
but no one can relieve us of being jerks,
which is clearly a residual moniker 
of those who would save us.

We have to do our own work
in ridding ourselves of that.

That work consists of seeing how we see,
and all the alternative ways we might see it,
and how what we see depends
on how we look,
and what we are doing to ourselves
and others
by not being deliberately objective
and astute
in our work to say what's what
and what it means
and how we might best respond to it.

And allow that to create within us 
an abiding sense of kindness and humility
so that we become a source of grace and mercy
in a world dying for the experience 
of those things,
ending our jerk-hood forever, and ever, Amen!

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