Challenged to Our Better Selves

All too often these days, it seems like society offers us the opportunity to be our worst selves. Social media inflames as it informs, the current federal political leadership seeks to divide rather than unite, and so many men and women across this country look at someone who doesn’t look, think, or act like them as the “other”. Say their names – George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbert, and far too many others.

We are challenged to be our better selves.

Scripture is one way we can be reminded of the God-given gifts that we each have. We need to remember that all persons, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, faith, or abilities have gifts, and that each and every one of us are part of this incredible quilt that is life. How often do we overlook, ignore, or minimize the talents and insights that our brothers and sisters bring, especially if those gifts are different from our own?

For many of us when we are lost in the fog of alcohol and drugs, we forget that we have gifts to offer to the world. And in our substance use, others may look at us and not be able to see the gifts that we have.

We find the courage to reach out for help. We find the humility to admit that alcohol and drugs are controlling our lives in ways that do not help us, and in fact, actively hurt us. But we can not do this alone. None of us can!

If you are looking for a new way of living, please reach out!

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians….

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;

there are different forms of service but the same Lord;

there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit;

to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.

Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.

If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy."

May we find and honor the talents and gifts in all of us!