Extravagance!
During
worship on January 12th we were invited to draw a Spirit
Word for the year, a word to reflect upon and ponder how it impacts
our lives (or perhaps how it could do so). I drew the word
EXTRAVAGANCE, which is now hanging with the calendar in my office.
Now
what might that mean?
A few
early thoughts...
How is
God extravagant? As people of faith we proclaim the extravagant
grace, love, and mercy of God. God gives prodigiously and
extravagantly. Pondering the word calls me to think about where I
have been the recipient of the extravagance. This leads me to reflect
on how I am blessed. Hopefully it leads me to a place of deep
gratitude.
How are
others extravagant? Where do I see people giving prodigiously and
extravagantly to me and to others? This is one of the places I see
God’s extravagance in action. Hopefully looking for this pushes me
to not only recognize it happening but comment on it. Again a
practice of gratitude.
How am
I extravagant? How could I be extravagant? A place of challenge
perhaps, a place to push myself to be more generous, more merciful,
more gracious. Maybe I do a better job of avoiding political debate
on social media? Maybe I push myself to be more patient with my
children? Maybe I find time to do different things this year?
There
is another side to extravagance. I think of the show biz term of
extravaganza. An extravaganza is showy, fabulous, over the top. Where
do I see that sort of showiness in life? Where do I see the need for
more of it? An extravaganza is often less than serious, sometimes
even frivolous. Where do I see that we need to be more frivolous in
the world? Something to watch for over the year. And then maybe
something to help shape my choices.
Who
knows what else pondering extravagance will bring me this year?
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