Missionary Renegade: The Daily Meditation: "The Virtue of Flexibility" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for Friday, 16 March 2018

Friday, March 16, 2018

The Daily Meditation: "The Virtue of Flexibility" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for Friday, 16 March 2018

DAILY MEDITATION: "The Virtue of Flexibility" for Friday, 16 March 2018

Photo courtesy of V. Dobson

Trees look strong compared with the wild reeds in the field. But when the storm comes the trees are uprooted, whereas the wild reeds, while moved back and forth by the wind, remain rooted and are standing up again when the storm has calmed down.
Flexibility is a great virtue. When we cling to our own positions and are not willing to let our hearts be moved back and forth a little by the ideas or actions of others, we may easily be broken. Being like wild reeds does not mean being wishy-washy. It means moving a little with the winds of the time while remaining solidly anchored in the ground. A humorless, intense, opinionated rigidity about current issues might cause these issues to break our spirits and make us bitter people. Let's be flexible while being deeply rooted.

For further reflection...
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." (James 3:13(NIV))
Your response...
Do you find it easy or difficult to be "flexible while being deeply rooted?"
Comment on this meditation.

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Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.

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