The first duty of love is to listen.
Paul Tillich
…When once the risk has really been taken, then the greatest danger is to risk too much.
During the first period of a man’s life the greatest danger is not to take the risk…
Some think of Jesus as a great Jewish teacher without much of a revolution. Others see him as so revolutionary that he left Judaism behind altogether and established something quite new.
This passage shows how Jesus himself held the two together. He was indeed offering something utterly revolutionary, to which he would remain faithful; but it was, in fact, the reality towards which Israel’s whole life and tradition had pointed.
Tom Wright on [Matthew 5v13-20], Matthew for Everyone - Part 1, p39-40.
Degifting:
1. A mutual agreement to suspend holiday gifts for at least one season, usually within a single family or circle of friends.
2. The act of replacing useless and pointless merchandise with something more meaningful, such as a charitable donation, service project or holiday party.
3. Wal-Mart’s biggest nightmare
It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll.
Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz (p.217)
When we take the time to see and hear young people, most often we find compassion rising within us. When we see with the eyes of Jesus and hear with the ears of Jesus, we soon find ourselves feeling with the heart of Jesus… When we seek to be present to young people, we not only see and hear them, we also seek to let down the walls of our heart and allow ourselves to be moved by them. As ministers with youth, we seek to have soft hearts, hearts that can be touched by the joy, confusion, loneliness, anger or tears of young people.
Mark Yaconelli, Contemplative Youth Ministry (p.76)
