Everybody has Something to Teach Me

Yesterday I mused: ‘Everybody has something to teach me’.

Also musing on the line from the Gary Barlow/ Robbie Williams song: ‘There’s three sides to each story: yours, mine and the truth.’

I learnt when dealing with playground disputes: when you hear the first version of a story, you may not have the whole truth. Piecing together what really happened sometimes took a while to work out.

We are very quick to jump to conclusions, to accept the first version of a story we hear – describing an event, someone’s character or why two people have fallen out.  

We form opinions about bigger issues – religion, sexuality, addictions, race, politics… we reach a conclusion that becomes a prejudice, a comfortable secure place to retreat to.

I am grateful to:

• Kim who teaches me about living with eating disorders
• Kirsty whose Dad is Claire
• George who taught me more about what it feels like to be rejected by his church
• Phil who found coming out as gay really difficult,
• Dave who kept his gambling addiction secret from his wife and family for many years…

Some friends have fixed opinions, knowing what they think – and what God thinks. I used to think I knew all the answers; now I’m not always sure of the questions…

This morning I read Romans 11…

‘…Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond finding out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?…’

Musing…

• Mystery – Fully understanding God is beyond me.
• Mercy – God doesn’t give us what we deserve
• Mind – God’s mind cannot be reduced to human rationality

And so in the rest of this week I look forward to meeting my grandchildren, my friend with dementia, my friend who’s a recovering addict, my divorced friend who’s struggling. They are all my teachers.