those unlike ourselves

When it comes to the application of the sermon, it is critical that we consider those unlike ourselves. When it comes to building community, it is critical that we include those unlike ourselves. As a man who both sermonises and builds community this means I must, just for starters, take care to consider and include women.

In the last couple of weeks two images have stuck with me. One is this painting depicting the pain associated with post-natal depression – Never Morning Wore to Evening but Some Heart Did Break (Walter Langley). While I can’t begin to understand this fully, I do always find my heart softens to those mothers who battle with it. It seems so common and so unfair. A post from my friend Thalia included this painting and her own candid reflections here and here and here are so helpful..

Then in Kerikeri on Friday, I was leafing through a book on NZ history at the Stone Cottage and this cartoon was sitting there and grabbed me. It is called Roll of Honour (Gordon Calman – 1917) and the link to the National Library describes it depicting “a sorrowful woman with her head bowed drawn in the shape of a map of New Zealand. She holds a Roll of Honour”. It reminds me so much of the ‘mother’s anzac poem’ which I posted some months ago and the deep sadness that overcame so many women whose men did not come home.

Look at the two bowed heads – one from depression and the other in grief…

How critical it is that we have an accurate self-understanding and then in preaching-sermons and building-community we make a special effort to consider and include those who are unlike the ‘self’.

nice chatting

Paul

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About Me

paul06.16

the art of unpacking

After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.

2 Comments

  1. not a wild hera on September 26, 2012 at 8:50 pm

    Thank you, Paul.
    tkr

  2. Barry Pearman on September 27, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    Hi Paul, thanks for this.

    Mental Illness, grief and loss, all part of the lives of the 1:5 in our population.

    Jim Wallis challenges me with this – 'Only those willing to stand close enough to listen will ever hear those closest to the problem'.

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