And for each one of us there is a special gift, the way in which we may best serve and please the Lord, whose love is so overflowing.
~ Madeline L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
I could grasp the multi-faceted truth of these words, and internalize it, I would be the better for it. There is the top-level that I accept with ease, wrap around my shoulders, and wear like a soft and warm cashmere shawl: I’ve been given gifts in certain areas and I’m called to use them for the glory of the Giver. Not always easy to do, but relatively simple to understand.
Said differently, at another layer: you have been given gifts, and you are also called to share them in the way the Creator uniquely designed you to do. That’s your business; yours and God’s businness. By definition: not mine.
When I don’t understand something you’re doing, or think I might suggest a different way, perhaps the wiser course is to extend grace and trust that you have sought Divine counsel and are walking out your gift in the way you were designed to do, for the benefit of those uniquely designed to hold out grateful hands to receive that specific thing.
Yeah, I could go round and round on this with all kinds of but this, first this, and what if that arguments but it all comes down to grace and love. It always does.
# # #
Simple happy.
Cracking open a jar of homemade salsa.
Lights in the valley.
Epiphany.
An unexpected free day.
A hug from a friend.
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I wrote down quotes too when I read Madeleine l’Engle’s reflections. We’ll have to compare notes sometime.
I’m enjoying her work so much, Marian. There’s so much to chew on. I download another of hers–fiction this time–from Amazon this morning as I was notified by BookBub that it is currently $1.99 ($1.56 for you!) on Kindle.