I believe that this might be one of the most challenging assignments that I have undertaken lately. The first challenge was my willingness to share something so personal and intimate. I teetered between caution and courage; between faith and fear; between private and public. I settled somewhere in the middle of them all. Secondly, there are many forces that contribute to the colonization of our spirit, so I believe that finding my truth has been a pathway to remaining authentic, so I do my best to take myself wherever I go. I learned long ago that I cannot and do not expect you to understand or even agree with me, but I do ask that you believe me.
I believe that the Bible, just as most other history books is a story of winners, written from the vantage point of the one who could get published or claimed by someone other than the one who should get the credit. That is one of the reasons I so strongly believe in the oral tradition – in family story told from generation to generation – in community where our word is trusted. I do not know the author, but was drawn to this quote, “policy makers learn from studies, communities learn from stories.”
Speaking of studies, I believe that many studies about the human spirit are plagued with cultural bias. It is critical that authors acknowledge this bias. With that in mind, I courageously submit that even Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need is culturally biased because many cultures describe love, a sense of belonging, and mutual respect as the foundation of need, maybe even before food and water as he names in tier one. Many cultures do not differentiate love and belonging from safety or hunger or even self-actualization for that matter. I also believe in the basic principle of self-respect rather than that of self-esteem as is described in the fourth tier of Maslow’s hierarchy.
I believe that Jesus was sent in human form to show a way that we might be able to grasp, because frankly, I do not believe we humans have the capacity to fully understand the bigness of God. Even if the human condition is fragile, we are gifted with an ability to figure things out and make decisions through thought, dialogue, and love. However, thousands, perhaps millions do not have the privilege of making decisions for themselves. I do not believe that prosperity, peace, and good fortune are a result of God’s blessings. Blaming God for everything that happens, good or bad, is filled with judgment of God. Furthermore, “let go – let God” lets us off the hook about taking responsibility for our actions and how they affect the common good. I do however believe in the amazing power of prayer – welcoming God and our community to accompany us in the good times and the tough times.
At the very core of it all, regardless of the academic and intellectual critique, I am convinced that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened. Jesus came to teach us how to be brave, humble, and even vulnerable. Jesus was and is here among us, because it is in this miracle that the amazing power of the Holy Spirit wakes us to our potential for good. It is that spirit that gives strength and healing to the weary body and soul. It is that same spirit that surrounds us in love and joy. It is that spirit that gives us hope and sustains us. I have traded in the notion of optimism for a vision of hope. I agree with Soren Kierkegaard who said, “hope is the passion for the possible.”
I believe in the mystery of God……in God’s many forms. Full moons, sunsets, and even sunrises. I am a trinitarian that claims that God is a shape shifter – made real in Jesus, in the Prophets of yesteryear and of today, in the faces of children, in the voices of the oppressed, and in the hearts of the faithful. As romantic as it might sound, I do believe in miracles and thank God for continually shifting shapes when I least expect it