Streams of Mercy
Like many of us, I am troubled by the tone of civil discourse these days. In this week’s Presbyterian Outlook, I found a way to confront my concerns and deal with them in helpful ways.
Jill Duffield writes: “From the neighborhood association to the city council and beyond, leaders are considered not simply mistaken or misdirected or misinformed, they are stupid, idiots, evil. Motives are not questioned, they are assumed malevolent. Decisions are not disagreed with, debated and discussed, they are maligned and the people who made them castigated. The benefit of the doubt doesn’t exist anymore. Public postings of perceived ineptitude have replaced personal conversations seeking understanding and resolution… we are living in an age of cultural contempt.”
Her words gave words to feelings I struggle with from day to day. What happened to respecting our differing ideas and opinions? What happened to working together for the common good?
What happened to accepting and encouraging one another? She has words for that struggle as well: “We are nowhere near mutual respect. We are an ocean away from mutual trust. We need to begin with recognizing the reality and destructiveness of our mutual contempt. We must individually and corporately recalibrate our moral compasses.”
I’ve never thought of a “moral compass,” and didn’t understand what she meant at first. Jill explains that each of us has a “moral frame/moral compass” that has to do with how we view life, people and situations. While I’ve never thought in those terms, I do have a way of viewing the world that guides my being and my doing – and it’s not particularly popular or thought to be particularly wise these days!
I believe that we are all children of God, made in the image of God. This is the first point on my “moral compass.” The first three questions of our newest PCUSA catechism for children, “Belonging to God” are an important foundation.
Question 1. Who are you? I am a child of God.
Question 2. What does it mean to be a child of God? That I belong to God, who loves me.
Question 3. What makes you a child of God? Grace -- God's free gift of love that I do not deserve and cannot earn. (And these answers are for all people, not just little Presbyterian children!)
A second point on my “moral compass” is my belief that God is working in all things for good and making all things new. This means I cannot give up on anyone or write anyone off. No situation is ever hopeless, no problem that cannot be solved, no person beyond the reach of God’s love and grace.
A third point on my “moral compass” is this belief: If we have truly experienced God’s love, we become more loving; if we have truly experienced God’s grace, we become more gracious.
These three points on my “moral compass” guide my being and my doing, for better or worse!
The challenge is before us, to “name our moral frame/moral compass” and make it explicit, known, visible in word and deed, so that a grassroots movement of empathy can transform our culture.” May God help us to do so in ways that help us to make a difference in our corner of creation!
Giving thanks for streams of mercy, never ceasing, ever flowing, even now…
Elizabeth