"A New Pair of Glasses"
My grandfather had a huge influence on my life. When my father died I was nine years old and we moved from Miamisburg, Ohio to Morgantown, West Virginia and into my grandparent's home.
Charles Baker was a judge, a lawyer, and a poet. He ran for Congress in 1942 and was defeated by Jennings Randolph by less than 200 votes. He could have asked for a recount but he didn't.
My grandfather introduced me to the writing of Loren Eiseley. Loren Eiseley was a naturalist, who was lived in Nebraska. Eiseley's book The Immense Journey will be the subject of the noon study beginning next Wednesday.
I wanted to introduce the congregation to the thinking of Loren Eiseley through the sermon this coming Sunday.
The sermon will promote the idea that the best way to convey the Christian faith is not through conversion but through the method of conversation. Christianity is a way of life and a way of looking.
I want to share with you a method of looking and, if I do it successfully, it will lead to a new way of seeing. I think it was this approach that Jesus had when he said, "Consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air."
How we look determines what we see. Christianity is a way to look that leads to a new line of sight that leads to a new way to live.
Have you ever looked at the wonder and beauty of nature and had thoughts that were profoundly religious? Did you see the sunrise yesterday? Did it give you the inspiration that there is God?
What do you think? If you have some insights about how we look and what we see write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
“While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish. there were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach. One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish. Hurling it far into the sea he said, "It makes a difference for this one." I abandoned my writing and spent the morning throwing starfish.” ― Loren Eiseley
Post a Comment