I experienced a deeper understanding of what my Dad’s work entailed over this trip. To call it “work” is a misnomer; a better definition is based in the idea of a “life of service”. Over the years I’ve been jaded by the state of Christianity and all the clichés that surround this belief system. But to observe the way my Dad attacks each early morning and long highway drive with an enthusiasm to share his beliefs through his actions and overall conduct, truly impresses me. Something has to be right spiritually for someone to live their life like this.
My father often speaks of the importance of compassion in the equation of how we are to associate with our fellowmen. He points out that the root word found in compassion is passion. He believes that our caring for the well-being of our fellowmen should be authentic. Our compassion should be a burning fire that drives us to do so with all of what we have in us. The way he puts things, it would seem that were it the last thing he would be doing in this life, caring for someone who is in need, then it would be a fitting end. This is what selflessness means to him and yet it is the attribute that real self-esteem is built on.
On a particularly long stretch of highway we discussed the importance of prayer as being the essence of a spiritual connection to God. In fact it is the essence of any spirituality. He pointed that other belief systems practice prayer even those that do not believe in God. While reading Bible and other sacred writings would greatly aid in revealing God to us, it is when we pray that we can experience Him. My father truly believes that things happen when we reach out in honestly, humbleness, and faith. According to him, this is where the relationship begins.
It dawned on me as we returned to Red Deer that he had summed up the foundation of Christianity: love God and love one another. The sum of all preaching, writing, and singing can be contained in two words: prayer and compassion.
As human beings we tend to complicate our lives. We are masters of self destruction through our habits, thought patterns, and desires. We even tend to cloud the noble belief systems we claim to follow by our own doing. Could it be that the truth is far simpler?
As simple as two words?
My father often speaks of the importance of compassion in the equation of how we are to associate with our fellowmen. He points out that the root word found in compassion is passion. He believes that our caring for the well-being of our fellowmen should be authentic. Our compassion should be a burning fire that drives us to do so with all of what we have in us. The way he puts things, it would seem that were it the last thing he would be doing in this life, caring for someone who is in need, then it would be a fitting end. This is what selflessness means to him and yet it is the attribute that real self-esteem is built on.
On a particularly long stretch of highway we discussed the importance of prayer as being the essence of a spiritual connection to God. In fact it is the essence of any spirituality. He pointed that other belief systems practice prayer even those that do not believe in God. While reading Bible and other sacred writings would greatly aid in revealing God to us, it is when we pray that we can experience Him. My father truly believes that things happen when we reach out in honestly, humbleness, and faith. According to him, this is where the relationship begins.
It dawned on me as we returned to Red Deer that he had summed up the foundation of Christianity: love God and love one another. The sum of all preaching, writing, and singing can be contained in two words: prayer and compassion.
As human beings we tend to complicate our lives. We are masters of self destruction through our habits, thought patterns, and desires. We even tend to cloud the noble belief systems we claim to follow by our own doing. Could it be that the truth is far simpler?
As simple as two words?
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