Our Lives in the Open

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:20 am by Faithful Democrats

Our Lives in the Open 2013-05-09T06:20:07-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why do we hide our light under a bushel?

My apartment doorway opens to a little patio area under the main stairs
to the building I live in. I often sit out there in the late afternoon
and read. It's protected from the hot afternoon sun and the rain, and
there is always a slight cooling breeze. It's a wonderfully pleasant
place to pass an hour or few reading late in the day.

I was
reading out there yesterday afternoon when I realized that I was
running late for an appointment. I ran in the apartment, grabbed my
keys and took off.

When I came back a neighbor, a construction
worker who lives in a nearby building, was sitting in one of my chairs
reading the book I had, in my haste, left out. "This guy, Keats," he
said. "He's good."

That would John Keats, the romantic poet. I
am sure that he would never have thought to read Keats. But the book,
lying out in the open like that with it's rich leather binding of
maroon and gold caught his eye and he could not help reaching down and
looking, then reading, then at last settling down in one of my chairs
and reading (according to him) for nearly an hour.

It makes you
wonder, doesn't it? Maybe we try too hard to push things down people's
throats. Maybe we should simply wear our lives and our faith and our
passions out in the open, and trust people's natural curiosity to make
them want to look. If who and what we are is intriguing enough, or
attractive enough, we'll draw people to us, like the volume of Keats
drew my neighbor.

When I was in college, I used to get the
newspaper. I was the only kid in the dorm who got a newspaper. As I
read, I'd find things that I thought were interesting and tape them to
the door out in the hall. Comics, stories, odd facts, and a quote of
the week (yes, that's when I started the quote of the week that I still
do, now on my e-mails instead of the doorway.) You cannot imagine how
often I opened my dorm room door to leave and would find someone
standing there, reading. When I run into old college buddies, now some
thirty plus years later, they still comment about it.

But what
we seem to do is live internal lives, and an internal faith, not open ones. We're too busy, or
to afraid to share, or something. But what would happen if we lived our
lives and faith more openly, more sharingly, if we weren't afraid to leave our
hearts out in the open? What might people find? What might they
discover in themselves, just by their natural curiosity? What new
friends might enter our lives? What new joys could come of it?Talking
to my neighbor, it turns out that my archway under the stairs is a
passage way everyone around here uses when they go from building to
building. "I'm not the first person to read your book today." he said.
"I saw…"Hmmm. Two people exposed to Keats in one day. People
for whom if I had suggested they read some dead nineteenth century poet
would have laughed at the thought. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I am
already thinking about what I am going to leave out later today when I
leave…

In
a small way, this site is an opportunity for us to do just that, wear
our faith and our concerns in the open. By sharing, we are exposing
ourselves to a larger community, but we are also exposing that
community to our own hearts. And that is what we are called to do – not
keep our faith like a candle under the basket, but hold it up high. not
in pride, or in anger, but in hope that we will draw others to sit,
consider and join us.

Reader Blogs

Previous Post

September 15, 2006

What Could We Be Thinking?

Next Post

September 17, 2006 Prevention, Supporting New Parents Will Reduce Abortion Rate

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many men did Gideon keep from the 32,000?

Select your answer to see how you score.

400 200 300 500