As I wrote last week, God requires us to practice.
Or, if you’re not all that into God, or your concept of the divine is less focused and yet inclusive of the all that is everything in relation to everything and every no-thing; what good relationship requires of us is, well, practice.
As I read them, the prophetic voices of faith and the prophetic voices of community are calling us into practical applications of the principles of Love.
As we celebrated Thinking Sunday in church on February 19, I had occasion to consider the ways in which we practice our faith. On that day we marked the 60th anniversary of Third Duncan, a group of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and their various leaders, who’ve been practicing to be better people, building a better community, as part of a better world, for 6 decades, and counting.
Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of boys and girls have grown to men and women guided in part by the precepts of an international movement once Christian centered, and now holding space and time and place for children of many faiths, or no stated faith. Children learning how to do practical things, like tying knots and wilderness camping, while learning to support and rely upon one another to do their part in the creation of respectful, honourable, interdependent community. Coming together weekly to practice being that community, while learning some of the skills that support it.
I was a cub, my son has moved from Beaver to Venturer, and learned a lot about being a member of his community. The Scouters leading him have been caring, responsible, dedicated and passionate women and men of deep and abiding faith. Faith in their community, in their world, in the children they lead and the possibilities in front of them. Some of them also practiced their faith in Church, Temple, Mosque, Synagogue, Oak Grove and other sacred spaces. Some did it through the lessons they shared in life and in Scouting.
Last week’s Scripture lesson was taken from Matthew’s Gospel. In it Jesus tells his friends not to return violence for violence, not to resent an order to carry another’s burden, not to stop at handing over your coat, should someone demand it, but strip yourself bare and hand over everything else, as well.
How will any of us learn humility unless some of us are humble? How will the cycles of violence, repression, and avarice bearing privation end, unless some of us refuse to continue them on?
Scout leaders and children have been practicing the Law (A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.) for decades. Learning what it means for each one to Do Your Best so that we might all Do Our Best. Responding practically to the call to Love. One good deed at a time.
Working together, supporting one another, being accountable to one another, and learning from one another. Practicing faithfully in practical, accessible, considerate and accountable ways.
What about us? Who are our teachers? How do we practice? To whom are we accountable?
How do we practice the call of Love?
Keith Simmonds is a diaconal minister serving at Duncan United Church, and as President of the BC Conference of the United Church of Canada. Blogging at keithsimmonds.ca, he can also be found at http://bc.united-church.ca/presidents-blog. Views expressed here are his own, and not necessarily those of the church.
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog Spiritually Speaking HERE.
