Recently, I was intrigued to learn about a national project that solicited and broadcast brief essays about what individuals believed:
During its four years on NPR (National Public Radio), This I Believe engaged listeners in a discussion of the core beliefs that guide their daily lives.
Now, “This I Believe” http://thisibelieve.org/ is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Some 100,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here on their website, heard on public radio, chronicled through their books, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.
As you consider this question about your own core beliefs, you may be surprised by the deeply-felt values that now rise to the surface. They may be as earthy as believing in the transformational value of growing a garden. Or community focused, like the man who believed in inviting a new group of strangers to his house for dinner and conversation each week. They may be as practical as a strong belief in the value of keeping things organized and neat….
One of my favorites essays in “This I Believe” was by 6-year-old Tarak McLain of Texas.
Here are seven of the 100 beliefs that Tarak came up with:
· I believe we’re all equal.
· I believe we can help people.
· I believe everyone is weird in their own way.
· I believe we should be generous.
· I believe I should not whine.
· I believe that God helps us to have a good time.
· I believe people should go outside more.
So, what core beliefs guide your daily life?
When we consider what we believe in and what we value, we then make more room for them in our daily life. What are we “tuning into” in the moments that we have? What are we planning for and sowing into for the days, months, and years that we have on this earth?
One of the things that I received last summer through almost dying, was a heightened sensitivity to the gift of each moment: To cherish the ones I love and to “drink in” the beauty around me.
And I’m convinced that one doesn’t need a “close call with death” in order to live more aligned with our deepest values....
Years ago, the original Blazing Fire Elders recognized and wrote down the core values of this fellowship. These core values are not what we’re “supposed to believe” in order to please God. Rather, they reflect our understanding of Father God’s heart for us. And we embrace them as keys to living well in Father God’s family.
You can read these core values at: http://www.blazingfire.org/corevalues.htm .
Do they resonate with what you value in a spiritual community?
To further encourage you to write down your own “This I Believe” statements, here are some of mine:
- I believe that not all truth in the Bible has equal priority. Some things are more important to God’s heart. As I read the Bible with the Holy Spirit, He helps me understand how all aspects of life-giving truth fit together. (Thank you to Kris Vallotton for passing along this revelation)
- I believe in being authentic with everyone. And I seek to be vulnerable with people to the degree that they value and receive my vulnerability.
- I believe in "drinking in" the glory of sun-lit leaves in the late afternoon.
- I believe in keeping grace and truth together.
I’d
love to hear from you about the core beliefs that guide your daily
life. I invite you to send me some of the ones that speak most
uniquely and powerfully to you.
And keep in mind Tarak’s observation:
“I believe everyone is weird in their own way.” ; )
Russ Fochler
No comments:
Post a Comment