Flexible Bible

“Mary Cosby used to begin her New Testament class by bending her soft-cover Bible and saying she preferred a Bible that was flexible. Then she would say, ‘The Bible is not a manual for morality, but a mirror for identity.”’ —Carol Martin, Bread of Life Church, “A Mirror for Identity” at InwardOutward.org, Church of the Saviour, July 15, 2018.

My first introduction to this deeper and more flexible Bible study was with a small group of people at St. Mark’s in Little Rock in the 1990s with a leader named Dick Moore in a room above the children’s classrooms that we called “the upper room.” As we studied the books of the Bible, Dick reminded us that the Bible was a roadmap, not the destination.

I think of old friends like Carole and Gary Kimmel who were in our class who now live on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I remember Betty and Brady Anderson, who went on to be Bible translators in Africa in Tanzania, and how Brady later became the American Ambassador to that country. They taught me so much. Together we uncovered new insights from the Bible that had never before occurred to us.

As we saw God present in the lives of people in the Bible who were just like us—with gifts and faults—we also became more aware of God, the Holy Spirit, at work in our own and others’ lives. We began to see that the relationship of the Holy Spirit did not end with first- and second-century Christians; rather, the Spirit is still leading us today. If we believe only a strict, literal translation of the Bible, we are denying the continued presence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives today and ever bringing us more good news.

I am thinking of the Bible I received from my Bishop eighteen years ago at my ordination. It, as well, is flexible.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Release party!!!!!!!!!!!

Come and get a signed copy of the new book

Just in time for the holidays

A Spiritual Rx for Advent Christmas, and Epiphany

The Sequel to A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter

Both are $18

All Money from sale of the books goes either to Camp Mitchel Camp and Conference Center in Arkansas or Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast

Seibert’s, 27 River Ridge Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227

10 to noon, Saturday September 14, 2019

RSVP joannaseibert@me.com

Feeding, Being Fed

“The question of bread for myself is a material question, but the question of bread for my neighbor is a spiritual question.”

—Nikolai Berdyaev.

Dan Gold unsplash

Certainly Jesus gives us continued examples of his feeding thousands as well as going to eat at the home of others, often with the most despised such as Zacchaeus and Matthew, tax collectors. Jesus, a role model in this, feeds others and lets others feed him. For Christians, Jesus leaves us with another meal, the Eucharist of bread and wine, a sacrament reminding us of his care and bringing his presence to us.

When I am having difficulty with someone, I imagine us together at the altar rail, kneeling if possible, to receive the bread and the wine of the Eucharist. Jesus is with us. After kneeling together, I see the person in a different light. Sometimes I can see the Christ within him or her.

I have given up trying to understand why eating a meal with someone else can help us to develop a relationship faster than spending hours talking to that person. As we are being fed, we see the person more clearly. Often we can carry on a deeper conversation when food is present. It is almost as if the food is a natural ice breaker.

I remember when, in my medical practice, I worked with nine other physicians. Each of them had different gifts and were advocates for different parts of our practice. Each person wanted his or her area to be funded and fully staffed.

One day we decided to have lunch together once a week to try to work through difficult issues. The situation changed almost overnight. We began to see each other’s needs as they related to our many areas of interest. We began to prioritize what was really most important for the patients we were caring for, instead of focusing on our own needs. Some of us even became lifelong friends!

Joanna joannaseibert.com

Release party!!!!!!!!!!!

Come and get a signed copy of the new book

Just in time for the holidays

A Spiritual Rx for Advent Christmas, and Epiphany

The Sequel to A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter

Both are $18

All Money from sale of the books goes either to Camp Mitchel Camp and Conference Center in Arkansas or Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast

Seibert’s, 27 River Ridge Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227

10 to noon, Saturday September 14, 2019

RSVP joannaseibert@me.com

Wisdom of Children

“The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.” —Isaiah 11:6.

There are so many stories in the Bible about the wisdom and leadership of children and young people. A young boy leads Saul to Samuel (1 Samuel 9). Baby Moses’ sister Miriam keeps watch over him until Pharaoh’s daughter finds him and suggests a “nurse” for him (Exodus 2:1-10). A young captured Israelite girl tells Naaman’s wife about Elisha, who can cure his leprosy (2 Kings 5). In the Gospel of John, Andrew brings a young boy with five barley loaves and two small fish to Jesus to feed five thousand people (John 6:1-14). I know there are more stories. Help me remember them.

As a physician for children, and now a grandmother, the importance of children has daily become so evident to me. Children teach me about joy. They model awareness. They show me how to live in the moment. Their connection to the sacred seems to be on a shorter string than mine.

As a parent, I was so worried about raising my children “right” that I often missed their wisdom as they were growing up. I do remember one time I listened to my young daughter and stopped my busy work to go outside to see the rainbows in our lawn sprinkler—after she came running in to tell me about all the rainbows outside.

My grandchildren are growing up too fast. Our oldest is now in her second year of college. I do not want to miss a second I might have with any of them.

I also loved being a part of the Cathedral School when I was at Trinity Cathedral. I am now assigned as a deacon to St. Mark’s, where there is a Day School. I cherish every opportunity I can get to spend time with these preschoolers. I love the way they fold their tiny hands and kneel to pray in chapel. Sometimes their heads are bowed. Sometimes they look up with wonder, seeking to “get” what this new adventure is all about. They teach me more each day about God and God’s love than most of the books on my bookshelf, as they share their connection to God.

So when people come to me for spiritual direction, I always recommend spending time with children, especially one on one, to learn more about God’s love. Barbara Brown Taylor suggests getting down on the floor with them. I can no longer do that; but I can still sit and listen to their stories and share meals with them and throw kisses and give hugs. I also love to watch movies with them and remind them every time I see them that we love them and they are beautiful inside and out.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com