OUR MISSION IS TO NURTURE ALL….
The part of our Mission Statement which we are exploring this week is “to nurture all with God’s unconditional love.” On Sunday, I began my sermon talking about the importance of having a nurturing theology. When our theology is nurturing, then we have a shot at being nurturing in all that we do. In the church of my youth, the theology was based more on fear than on nurture. I remember hearing over and over again that my sins were so great that I deserved to die and go to hell. Furthermore, there were certain things one was expected to believe, say and do in order to escape the fires of hell and eternal damnation. Needless to say, I don’t feel very nurtured when I look back to the theology of my youth.
As an adult who has explored the Scriptures for most of my life, I find many examples of theology that are very nurturing. In Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he wrote these words (15:10): “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” I believe these words may express one of Paul’s most enlightened moments, to be able to look at himself and know that he is what he is because God’s love made him exactly that way.
What would change in your life if you truly believed that about yourself? What would change in your relationships if you truly believed that about other people? What would change in the world if we all believed that about everyone else?
Why not give it a try:
- Take a look in the mirror and say: “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”
- Take a look into the eyes of another and say: “By the grace of God, you are what you are.” (You may want to say this silently or you might get a really funny response!)
Try it out…and just see how your life begins to change!
I invite you to join us on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning as we continue to explore a nurturing theology…and what God is calling us to be!
Kahu Alan Akana
Recent Comments