A Better Way of "Extending Yourself"

Here is a 2-minute meditation from 365 Windows (1960) by Halford E. Luccock.

Do nothing from selfishness or conceit,

but in humility count others better than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests,

but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves,

which is yours in Christ Jesus.

--Philippians 2:3-5 (Revised Standard Version)

     We often hear the phrase "extended himself." It often describes an exceptionally fine performance, such as an athletic event, or making a speech, for instance. Sometimes the words suggest other meanings. A man may "extend himself" like an octopus, reaching out his tentacles to snatch some advantages from someone else. Strongly acquisitive people remind us of a long claw reaching out to snatch.

     There is a better way of "extending yourself." It is the extension of the perceiving, experiencing, and sharing self. Jesus wanted people to extend themselves into other lives, beyond the walls of their own comfort and gain.

     Help us, O God, to remember the plea of Jesus that we be concerned for others as well as ourselves. Amen. 

Increase Our Faith

In the King James Bible, Luke 17:5 reads, "And the apostles said unto the Lord, 'Increase our faith.'" The poem below is the Lord's reply to the apostles.

AND THE LORD SAID UNTO THE APOSTLES

A Poem of Jesus Christ

A found poem from the Bible:

Luke 17:6 (King James Version)

If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed,

ye might say unto this sycamine tree,

"Be thou plucked up by the root,

and be thou planted in the sea";

and it should obey you.

Note: The sycamine is a tree of the Bible that is usually considered a mulberry (Morus nigra).

Sycamine tree in the Land of Israel

The Birthday of Anne Sexton (1928-1974)

 American poet Anne Sexton was born Anne Gray Harvey in Newton, Massachusetts, on November 9, 1928. (To read more about her, click on her two-word name in the preceding sentence.)

The Sesquicentennial of the Birth of Stephen Crane

Stephen Crane was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1871. His books include the poetry collections The Black Riders and Other Lines (Copeland & Day, 1895), War Is Kind (Frederick A. Stokes, 1899), and most famously, the novel, The Red Badge of Courage (D. Appleton & Co., 1895). He died in June of 1900.

-- Poets.org | Academy of American Poets

On Halloween

 The Birthday of John Keats:

Allhallows Eve

On October 31, 1795, English poet

John Keats was born in London.

Happy birthday, Keats!

Your haunting

and mysterious

ballad "La Belle Dame

Sans Merci"

enthralls me this eve.

Happy Halloween! To read Keats's ballad "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" click here.

John Keats (1795-1821)

The Reality of the Love of God

 Jesus said, "This is my commandment,

that you love one another as I have loved you.

Greater love has no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends."

--The Bible: John 15:12-13

(Revised Standard Version)

An American tourist traveling in Palestine was fond of telling of what he called "the miracle" at Nazareth. He was surrounded by the usual crowds of roadside merchants selling souvenirs. He felt that this yelling, pushing crowd everywhere was a terrible nuisance. But one woman surprised him. She said, "Buy something from the woman over there. She hasn't sold anything all day." Such love and sympathy was something new. He said, "Such unselfishness makes me believe in the love of Christ who grew up in Nazareth." Our unselfish acts do more to convince onlookers of the reality of the love of God than many words could do.

Help us to remember, O God, that it is by our acts that we bear witness to thy love. Amen.

--Halford E. Luccock in his book 365 Windows (1960),

a collection of 2-minute meditations for daily use