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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, I pray persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps us trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches us each. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily. And to be placed on the daily OneLife email list, to request notifications of new writings or submit prayer requests, write to briankwilcox@yahoo.com .
Blessings, Brian Kenneth Wilcox, MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
Brian encourages support of the 4-Star Christian organization Compassion, which supports children worldwide; see www.compassion.com .
The main question to ask ourselves is not, "Do others agree with me?" but, "Have I been faithful?" Not, "Have I won the approval of others?" but, "Have I proven my love for God above all others?"
*Brian K. Wilcox
Opening Affirmation
Go into a brief time of silence, affirming the following: feel the truth of the affirmation: Grace shows me the way to follow.
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, enable me to persevere, regardless of who is or is not supporting me. Help me so to focus on Christ that approval or disapproval of others will not sway me from your dreams for my life. Grant me wisdom not to waste my time and energy on useless trifles, but in service, friends, and family. Teach me to lean upon you in all ways. Save me from the niceness that is an avoidance of setting the boundaries that define who is and is not to be near my heart, and the heart of those who are in my inner circle of loved ones. Amen.
Sacred Scriptures
I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful.
*II Timothy 4.7 (CEV)
Sacred Teaching
Actually, this is the first title of a writing I have done that made me laugh. But, still, I am not just joking - I mean it. I really do. That is what happens to us when we fall in ardent Love with Christ - we grow to be more like him, and that means not prioritizing the varied and conflicting opinions of others about us. Being more free from the approval of others, we are more free to follow Christ freely.
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In a cross-country championship, in the NCAA, in Riverside, California, 123 of the 128 runners missed a turn. One runner, Mike Delcavo stayed on the right route and began waving for other runners to follow him. He was able to convince only four other runners to go with him.
Asked what his competitors thought of his mid-race decision not to follow the crowd, Delcavo said, "They thought it was funny I went the right way." Of course, they had thought he was going the wrong way.
Like Delcavo, we are to go the right way. Almost always, this will entail going either with a minority or alone.
St. Paul knew what it is to be alone, or with few, and hold his focus on following Christ. He knew holy stubbornness.
St. Paul, in our Scripture for today, used images of sporting disciplines that require focus and ardent dedication: a boxer and a runner. The boxer fights, the runner runs. These are good images of the follower of Christ Jesus.
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One thing I admire about my dad is his courage to go the right way, regardless of how many go the wrong way. I can recall him standing up in church business meeting and kindly affirming his position, alone. Yet, he did it with dignity and grace. I admire that kind of dignified courage and wisdom.
A church broke a promise to me, given by its freewill - and disparaged a couple of the finest Christians I know in the process of faithlessness. The faithlessness left one man contending that to violate the promise was wrong. All the others - I am told about twelve in number at the meeting - voted to break the unanimous vote, and reverse its decision - its promise. This is the same church that only weeks before had thrown me a party and praised me for my faithfulness to them over the two years I served as its pastor.
Of course, not everyone would have agreed with the reversal - and those most likely not to agree were not at the meeting. So, even in such situations, rarely is such disloyalty the commerce of all - but of a powerful minority.
Yet, see, only one man was willing to say that breaking the agreement with their former pastor was wrong - only one man, and he stood alone, and not even the new pastor supported faithfulness.
Sadly, this kind of faithlessness is common in our society, and more likely than we would want to admit in its church politics. Still, I will always be grateful to that one person who stood alone, and on my behalf. His stance reminds me of my dad. And while I forgive the others, I respect that one man above them all put together.
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Someone asked me what I dreamed of? Now, at aged 48, one of my replies was: "I dream of not caring about some of the things I cared about the first 48 years of my life, and caring about some things I did not the first 48 years of my life." One thing I intend to care much less about, is what other persons think about the way I choose to live my life, the convictions I hold, and the persons I do and do not choose to let near me.
This past week a young man in may hometown, in his early 30s, suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack. Life is fragile, and I may live 48 more years or one more minute. Regardless, my sole intent, to which all others is subject, is to run the race well for Christ and others: in courage, gracefulness, and love.
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We were not meant to be cows guided along by the smell of the butt of the cow in front of us, while we meander along with our eyes closed. We were meant to open our wings and fly in the Sky - yes, responsible to others, but dominated by the will of no one, only surrendering to the goodwill of the Spirit of Grace.
So, to all those in my first 48 years of life who thought my soul would bow to them, or else.... Well, I am still free. I have resolved to live my life in servitude to Love - to Christ. I have faltered at times, but I have not quit boxing, I have not quit running. I hope you who read this will share this same determination of responsible freedom in Christ.
Persons who wish you to submit in servitude to their power over you - well, they will use you up, and throw you away. Serve the One who will be there always, with you - Christ Jesus. Go the right way, even when persons think you a heretic, odd, or dumb for doing so. Box well, run well, in and for Christ. Amen.
Quietly Responding
1) How do you deal with your sense of responsibility to others and your ultimate responsibility to follow Christ?
2) Is there a person(s) in your life you need to let go of, so you can follow Christ and honor yourself?
3) Are there activities you are involved in that are not right for you in Christ, that you need to remove from your life?
4) Have you been running the race of Spirit Life well? What changes would you like to make to be a better runner for Christ? Explain.
Blessings! In Love! And Peace to All!
Brian Kenneth Wilcox July 14, 2009
barukhattah@embarqmail.com
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical-interspiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers.
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