It's surprising how quickly we judge people isn't it? And surprising how often we're wrong.
Yesterday my 'work' started up again and I spent the day closeted in various cupboards in the school. I had met the first boy before for a maths exam and, to put it kindly, it was a struggle. Yesterday was music and when I opened the envelope and found a Credit paper there I thought there must be a mistake. Surely he'd not manage Credit level! How wrong I was - he did really well, better than any other kids I've scribed for.
The last couple of weeks have been spent in the process of choosing a new rector for Holy T. I've felt a great weight of responsibility over this because, for the first time in my life, I'm one of the folk doing the choosing, and what's more, as secretary of the Vestry I have to co-ordinate the whole process. We were duly offered a candidate and told to discern whether that candidate was right for us. How terrifying is that? What if we got it wrong? Church is such an important part of my life that to have to live for the next five years or so with the result of a failed discernment process would be disastrous!
All the incredibly spiritual people advising me - the bishop, the present rector and a couple of others whose perception I trust - told me not to worry, God would help. Fine. But how do I know what's God and what's me?? All I know is that *I alone* am not a great judge of character and I have been known to get things very wrong.
Well, the process is over and the candidate chosen. I think it's a great choice and I'm delighted. So is everyone else concerned. Time will tell if we're all right.
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A view up the Clyde
3 comments:
For what it's worth, I think you've done a great job with the whole process. And if we ask god to help and try to hear what he's saying, I believe what happens is of God rather than anything esle - remember, there *are* only two possiblilities, according to Our Lord in St Mark's gospel!
Having an acute sense of discernment as to what is in the heart of people you meet is something that is best avoided.
This is something that comes with being a Traveller
When people are looking at you through the fat end of the telescope it leaves you in no other position than to be at the thin end looking back
To have someone look at you from only an outward appearance while you are looking back straight into their heart can be painful.
I can imagine that a more developed sensitivity towards people's character would be something a Traveller would necessarily develop and I can also see how this could turn out to be difficult. In so many ways it's easier to be blinkered. I like your telescope analogy, Jimmy.
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