A simple yet profound quote

"Nothing that we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or don't do, and more in light of what they suffer." Dietrich Bonhoeffer-written from a concentration camp.

(The above taken from the book UnChristian)

Compassion. Such an amazingly deep concept. In my desire to see justice done I know I struggle at times with offering compassion. Or at least my compassion is for one individual over another. Yet what would it look like to be a truly compassionate person. To look beyond the actions or offense and see the wound in the person. Brokenness in our world continues to perpetuate hurt and even greater brokenness. Yet Jesus embraced the broken. He sat, ate, celebrated and just listened to those who were hurting. He saw beyond society's view of people and embraced who the person was in their innermost being. Recognizing the beauty deep within and their need for a Savior. Such love and grace. I love that He gives so abundantly of himself and transforming us to become who we were meant to be. That through Him we can offer compassion to those around us.

Always thoughts running through my mind

Anyone who knows me knows that I am usually pouring over at least two books at a time. This past week I have finished one, been deep in another and then again picked up a third.

Starting with the most recent and moving through the others the idea of restoration and bringing healing to brokenness seem to be common themes. In Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning he speaks of not only embracing the depth of our heartache, longing, despair and brokenness but also taking that and bringing it to the awe, wonder, amazement and inexplicableness of God. One quote that struck me is this "The scandal of God's silence in the most heartbreaking hours of our journey is perceived in retrospect as veiled, tender Presence and a passage into pure trust that is not at the mercy of the response it receives" This quote just seems to resonate with the idea of God desiring redemption, healing and restoration to our lives. Yet in that same breath it is never quite the way we think it will be. God is so much "out of the box" that we inevitably put him in.

So along with this book I have been continuing to read the Next Christians by Gabe Lyons. Also speaking of bringing restoration to our world. What does it look like for us a believers to enter into this world and be agents of cultural change. As we were discussing this topic this morning with our staff team the thoughts of bringing healing to brokenness kept running through my mind. The world as it ought to be. Many times as I sit with a student listening to her story I can hear the underlying message of the heart of am I loved? accepted? forgiven?. Yes Yes Yes. But then there is the practical outworkings of what does that mean day to day in the fray of all that we experience? These are questions I continue to ponder and explore. But also that excite me and challenge me to uncover more of who God is and the depth to which he passionately pursues each one of us.

So in all of these books I also finished a book called Cooked: from the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras by Jeff Henderson. It is this amazing story of a man who lived life as a drug dealer and hustler, went to prison and then found redemption through the passion of cooking. The story is raw and real in his re-telling of his life events. A story told through his eyes and the way he remembers events and yet I think one that speaks of the desire each of us has for our lives to count for something greater.

I haven't come up with any solutions or any grand ideas. I just know that I am compelled by this idea of bringing healing to brokenness. The idea of restoration and redemption that I believe is at the heart of the Gospel. One that I must speak into my own life and experience and one that I must share with others if I care anything at all for them.