"so this is Christmas and what have you done..."
what can we learn from Mary and Joseph at Christmastime - the Holy Land was a war-full and worry-full place in their century too...
Cue John Lennon’s melancholy and wistful Christmas carol yearning for war to be over. Tis’ the season for looking back over the past year while also looking ahead. I’m sure that’s what very pregnant Mary was doing while very desperate Joseph tried to find a place for them to rest in the little town of Bethlehem after their arduous journey.
Based on their comments and questions in the Gospel accounts of the Christmas story (Luke & Matthew), here are a few lessons maybe we can learn from them about our worry-full life now and leadership in these war-full days:
To be troubled by what is going on in the world and by what it seems God is doing in your life this year does not mean you have to be afraid as a leader.
When faced with impossible circumstances that are/or will cause suffering, trusting that God wants to work through you in it can also prompt serious questions.
Pay attention to the sacred moments in your life where you get to surrender the past versions of yourself to God in order to accept the next you that is being called to step forth in faith, hope and love with Jesus.
To be invited into what God is doing in the world will sometimes cause bewilderment at how to participate in new situations full of unexpected developments that challenge most of our assumptions about the good life.
Joy and sorrow often get intertwined, tears of gratitude and grief get intermingled in this life; may what you see in Jesus stir up your spirit to go forth to lead in this world as it is with courage, diligence, grace, and friendship.
What would you add?
Finally: as you pray for peace and justice on Earth this Christmas season in your family, community and YMCA, please continue to pray for this in the Holy Land; remember our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering like never before – and remember in love all who suffer there: Jew, Christian and Muslim – for we are all neighbors now in this global community.
CLICK to learn more about what the East Jerusalem YMCA and Jerusalem International YMCA are doing in the Holy Land every day in the Spirit of Christ to forge healing and reconciliation.
I am so grateful to be reading Tim’s Substack on this Christmas Eve day. Tim’s words are very clear and impressed upon my heart and allow me to meditate on the truth of reality in our world. I love the colorful and expressive art that accompanies the writing! Merry Christmas everyone!