Sacred Beings

In the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline it states that we consider all persons as having sacred worth. This is more of what we are living into, than have established. Our church like many have those who want to be gatekeepers, keeping in certain people, and keeping out others. I wonder, how does God see us? Are the prisoners,  sex offenders,  homeless, LBGT, republicans, democrats, terrorists, soldiers, welcome or turned away?
I know my heart welcomes some more than others, I am sometimes appalled with how easily it is for me to judge, and to hold grudges towards those who I want to suffer for their sins. I want to throttle that motorist who needs to cut me and my fellow travelers off as we go down the freeway. I get passionate about those who do not look at those with learning disabilities with compassion and try to find ways to include them in life's activities such as school, church, scouts. I have a hard time with those who kidnap people and turn them into slaves.
So how can I reconcile my urge to punish with the words of Jesus, forgive them for they know not what they do? I don't think I can always, rather, I can look at these enemies of mine with eyes of compassion, holding them accountable for their sins, but trusting that God will work in me to bring them peace, not eternal damnation. Ah, such a messy world we live in, it would be much easier to be a gatekeeper than a peacemaker..

Not Writing

As I reflect on this time in my life, I realize I have not been writing on a regular basis, not here in this forum at least. What does this tell me about myself?  I have busy, and there is much on my schedule. How busy my life is, and yet I have forgotten to make time for the expression of my learnings and my reflections on life, I have not taken the time to pause, to revisit all that I have done to see if indeed these activities are really what God is calling me to be and do. And it means that I have stopped creating in a way that has always helped me connect to God.
I also realize that I am not being recognized for this blog in any way and so the temptation is to let it go, I mean who is taking the time to listen and reflect with all the choices that are available to you?
However, if I remember these writings are a prayer, to be lifted up, then I trust they reach the God in you, just as your comments below reach the God in me. I am creating in harmony with the Great Creator, and doing so to grow in my awareness of how God is working, in me, in you. If I believe creating is not required, but an invitation to deepen my sense of who I am in relation to God, then I can let go of the need to go, go, go all the time. How is it with you?