Tuesday, May 02, 2006

frightened by the light?

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

From: A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson (used in Nelson Mandela’s May 9, 1994 inaugural speech)

Agree, or disagree?

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its a rather liberating way of think!
Though being humble is impt...its equally impt to realize you are a fablous, stunning child of God. To often, I believe Christian play the inferior card.
Why not play, I am a rockin, stunning child of God?!?!
How, could God use this to further his message....

Lori, once again I love your writing! I wish i could turn this site into a book of short stories for bedtime.
Your one entry, Broken Hearts and Wayward Balloons, seriously brought a tear to my eye....

Tootle Loo!

lorie said...

Thank you, Angela-- I seriously choked up over that balloon...

I'm not sure, Cindy--I'd never heard of her.

I agree with you both that there has to be a balance--an awareness of our utter depravity yet an ability to embrace our royal standing in Christ. (Or, as Angela put it, as a "rockin, stunning child of God!")

The one place I do disagree with her is on letting our OWN light shine... I believe it must be the light of God within us, or it leads people to nothing, and the only permission it grants is to be self-gratifying.

I thought her first two lines were intriguing. I wonder which I TRULY am more afraid of...

lorie said...

Cindy- I was thinking about this again in the light of some of the discussions we've had about "strong" women in the church. I think there is a lot of pressure put on Christian women, in particular, to not be "too much." But if we serve and reflect a BIG God, shouldn't we be encouraged to be BIG, too?

lorie said...

I hear ya, sister. I think it is bigger than we think, though. It's not just your experience or mine, it's not just your church or mine-- it's a HUGE issue. Why do you think that is?

Anonymous said...

Well. i may be off base totally, but doesnt it really just go back to the basic thought process where man is suppose to be superior to woman. Especially in the church and really through out history.

Even though its 2006, there is still a power struggle between the genders.

I know, at my own job, there are a lot mini wars among the men vs women. To often, the man tends to win the battles. Overall, the men tend to get away with a lot more.
This often hits a sore spot with the female employees. Yet, year after year it still goes on....

just a few thoughts....time to study!

tootles

Anonymous said...

good point about the disney flick

personally, I would like to see in a disney flick, the fat females not always portrayed as a villian or dumb-ass. Let the slightly plumb strong female play the role for once.....

Anonymous said...

Let the slightly plumb strong female play the postive role for once.....

forgot postive!

lorie said...

I wonder why Christianity went from Christ empowering women to the church devaluing them?

d-roc said...

Hi ladies,

Just stopping by and I like this conversation.

I think men in the church are having a hard time being the leaders God intended them to be. Men in the church, for the most part, are expected to be leaders, but have not seen what true leadership looks like. Insecurity, of course, is a major player, speaking from experience. It is a hard thing to overcome and move in confidence. Even if it is in God you place your confidence.

We(men)need to remember, God sees our potential and expects us to move accordingly. Easier said, than done!

lorie said...

Thanks for weighing in, d-roc!

We ALL need to remember that God sees our potential and expects us to move accordingly. I think we all, male and female alike, get too caught up in what other people think, Christian and non-Christian alike, and forget to look at Christ as our model for leadership. (As well as everything else!)

lorie said...

I think he is our model, Cindy-- first, he did nothing to contribute to the patriarchal nature, in fact, he acted outrightly contrary to it. Second, though he was in a male body, he had many feminine characteristics as well, as well as being God incarnate, who's image is both male and female, according to Genesis. I think we need to look to him not as a man, but as God incarnate (who could naturally only take one form or the other) and consider both his masculinity and femininity when considering what biblical leadership should look like.

I'm still curious why both men and women alike exhibit this fear of being "powerful beyond measure."

lorie said...

Again, because God's character is both masculine and feminine, I think authority should have both elements visable within it. In fact, most of the leaders I have respected the most have shown both aspects within their personality and leadership style.

lorie said...

Adding to that thought, I think as a culture we've made strength equal masculine and weakness equal feminine. I wonder if that is part of where your comment came from?

lorie said...

I gotcha, I am just saying that humankind's perception of authority SHOULD be based on the fact that God is BOTH masculine and feminine, and, in an ideal world, it SHOULD embrace both.

So, I suppose my husband is milquetoast, then?

Anonymous said...

Well, this has turned into an interesting discussion! I imagine, the men may be a little fearful to respond. Dammed if they do and dammed if they dont!

Cynthia, are you a philosphy major? If your not, you should be!

Yes, there are the Mr. Rogers of the world and guys to other extreme. But, I think the same goes for women also.

Oh, yes, I to loved Mr Rogers growing up! As a little girl, I always wished he could come through the TV and be my daddy.

Both genders deal with lots of insecurities and fears, I think. Women, are socially allowed to express and chat with thier girlfriends about all the emotional garbage. Men, on other hand, doesnt seem to be the case. Those, that are emotional are often labled weak or clingy.

It really just boils down to remembering you are son or daughter of God and embracing that role. No matter what your gender and allowing God, to do his work through his creation.

The other day it really personally hit, I am a child of God and its about time I started acting like it.

Oh, yeah I read a part of a John Eldredge, book and personally didnt see why so many ppl like his work. It was okay.

tootles
angela

Just a few thoughts

tootles
Angela

Anonymous said...

well cynthia you should be a philosphy or an english major. so switch to one of those areas!

angela

Anonymous said...

REALLY???!!!?

Shoot..what can I say im good!!!!!

Good luck! Your in the right area, i think by the nature your comments =)

Anonymous said...

opps i forgot to sign!

angela (for the last one....)=)

lorie said...

She sure is!!! (And she's going to keep at it, right? Right?)

(:))

Anonymous said...

well...maybe i should change my major and become a guidance counselor! hahaah =)

angela