March 11, 2019

Weekly Reflection – I Can Do Anything!

You have probably heard and perhaps memorized this familiar verse from Philippians 4:13.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  The other night I heard a talk that, with some humor,  included the phrase, “I can do all things with…” and then after a pause continued, “…with my iPhone!”  There is a lot of truth in that.  I can email, text, chat, get directions to anywhere, take photos, access an endless array of apps, read the latest news, blog, and even attend an accredited university.  Yes, it seems we can do almost anything with…an iPhone.  Or can we?

We measure our doing with such materialistic precision.  It is more and more about what we can touch or measure or move. Tangible stuff. Competitive stuff.  Stuff that money can buy. Oh, and we measure all of this by its relationship to monetary value. If one cannot tie a dollar sign to something, it merely is not worth much. Or is it?

The older one gets, the less these material oriented things seem to matter.  Sure, in our earlier days when we were starting and raising a family and building a career, it was essential to do the material stuff.  But later in life, it becomes more about relationships.  John of the Cross wrote that “In the evening of life it is all about love.”We eventually take on a different set of priorities.  One wonderful Christian woman I know is now 97 years of age.  I once asked her what one thing she had learned in life. Her reply stunned me. “What we thought was  important, was not.” Yes, that was the wisdom of years.

And yes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” May we all seek to ground our doings in the teachings and example of Jesus who did not even have a place to rest his head.  He changed the world.  And he did it without using an iPhone!

Blessings and peace,

Chaplain Allen
chaplain@nationsu.edu
chaplainscorner.org

Read the Chaplain’s reflections on good habits, Tiny Habits