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Exodus 20: Ten Commandments in Recovery Language |
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Written by Wilma Zalabak, M.Div.
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Monday, 06 September 2010 21:13 |
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1. We have tried other gods, or saviours, and found them all powerless and hopeless.
2. Having come to hope in God, we need no human-made images of hope.
3. We need no careless god-talk, for our connection with Him is by firm decision.
4. We take Sabbath time, at least weekly, in the presence of God to face ourselves and renew our surrender.
5. We affirm our need for continued mentoring.
6. Feeling accepted ourselves, we can express respect and acceptance of others, affirming life all around us, and deflating our compulsions for gossip, put-downs, or violence.
7. Depending on God, we need not connect with some new partner for healing or for fixing.
8. Our new inner security frees us for thorough restitution, and deflates our compulsions for greed or stealing.
9. Because He trusts us, in His presence we feel enabled to examine our motives and become authentic persons for Him, never needing to force even amends for our own security or other false motives.
10. Content in Him, we have freedom to continue to discover and deal with our deepest motives, thoughts, and feelings.
11. Through daily Bible study and prayer, and the increased awareness of God resulting from these disciplines, we nurture our love for God.*
12. By telling our story in words and in manner of living, we practice loving our neighbors as ourselves.*
*Jesus indicated two commandments which summarize the other ten (Matthew 22:37-40). They are listed last here and numbered 11 and 12. Similarly, the last two of the Twelve Steps can be seen to summarize and reiterate the other ten. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 20:07 |
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Written by Wilma Zalabak, M.Div.
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Monday, 06 September 2010 19:26 |
The gift we give each other here is that of listening.
Listening is not approval, not “Yes” or “No,” or “Right” or “Wrong.”
Listening is not advice, not giving solutions or making corrections.
Listening is not taking action, fixing problems or choosing for another.
Even when we are wrong or distraught, the best gift we give each other is to listen.
To listen is to accept, to say, “Thanks for being real and sharing it”; this frees us to really be.
To listen is to affirm the existence of another; true solutions come only to those who accept existence without solutions.
To listen is to be there while another grows; growing happens best in the presence of a friend.
The gift we give each other here is that of listening. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 September 2010 19:35 |
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1 Corinthians 13: Listening Love |
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Written by Wilma Zalabak, M.Div.
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Monday, 06 September 2010 21:03 |
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I may speak many languages, human and angelic, but if I can't lovingly listen, I am no more than a gonging bell or a crashing cymbal.
I may talk about God's word, understanding all its mysteries and knowledge, but if I can't lovingly listen, I am nothing.
I may have big things happen because of my faith, but if I can't lovingly listen, the rest doesn't matter.
I may give to charities everything I own, but if I can't lovingly listen, it brings me no good.
I may even be an organ donor, but if I can't lovingly listen, there is no merit in it.
Listening love waits in kindness. Listening love refuses to envy, boast, or seek attention.
Listening love behaves without acting out, without selfishness, without holding grudges or suspicions.
Listening love is not happy in evil but in honesty. Listening love can handle anything, always believing, hoping, waiting.
Listening love never fails. Talking about God's word has its limits. Speaking many languages can go only so far. Knowledge changes every year or so.
Having knowledge and talking about it is only part of the picture. When the picture is completed the partial picture disappears.
When I was a child I talked, saw, and thought, like a child. When I became an adult, I let go of the childish ways.
We see now as if in a dirty mirror, but someday we will see face to face. Now I know you only partially, but then I will know you as God knows me.
In the end, then, there are three things left, faith, hope, and listening love,—and the greatest of these is listening love. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 20:13 |
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By the Touch of a Listening Heart |
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Written by Wilma Zalabak, M.Div.
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Monday, 06 September 2010 19:19 |
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I was battered and scarred and the people I knew
Thought it scarcely worth their while
To waste much time to listen to me
But they gave advice with a smile:
"Keep it hidden, my dear," they said.
"You'll see it's best in the end."
"A smile for another." And, "Work, work, work."
"Everyone has pain, don't you see?
"Yours hollers out, but please keep it nice."
"Better day soon!" ---But wait!
From the gloom and lack, through graying mist,
Came forward a listening heart.
Then, wiping away the old cliches,
And tightening her lips on advice,
She heard the melody pure and sweet,
And she danced to make it real.
The listening increased, and listening hearts,
With voices quiet and low,
Said, "Thank you for sharing and being real."
And their eyes toward each other glowed.
One brought her dog and we roamed the fields.
Two made a group, and then I found three.
Three women, then some men, and more,
A church, a club, a spree.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand.
"What makes this work?" Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a listening heart."
And many there are with life out of tune
And nowhere to sound the strings.
They wander deep in the toughtless crowd
Or give up to mindless things.
Too many are hurting. All talk at once.
"You should know better." "See, I'm strong."
"I'm in charge here." "Do as I say."
And, "Why can't we all just get along?"
But some will take turns, and the foolish crowd
Never will quite understand
The worth of a person and the change that's wrought
By the touch of a listening heart.
Apologies to Myra Brooks Welch, author of the poem, "The Touch of the Master's Hand." |
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 September 2010 19:25 |
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