A vision statement for a community of character
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Galatians 5: 22-23 The Message
One of the great things about 21st century life is the ability to access many different Bible translations so easily. Eugene Peterson's translation, or paraphrase, is a really helpful approach to reading a familiar bible passage in a fresh way. In Peterson's words, we get a sense of the cohesion of these fruit, of how they work together to give a picture of a life well lived rather than a tick list of virtues to be acquired. His use of the word "we" so often also remind us that Paul was writing to a community- these words would have been read out to the church, not studied individually in a private bible study, meaning that those who heard them would not only be able to encourage one another but also hold in another accountable. This was not a private version of holiness, but a shared vision of what human life could look like, and a communal commitment to make it good.
How would you and your faith community rewrite these verses?
Should we make time when we meet together not only for a creed, reminding ourselves of what we believe, but a statement like this one from Galatians of a vision for the kinds of people we are becoming?
Galatians 5: 22-23 The Message
One of the great things about 21st century life is the ability to access many different Bible translations so easily. Eugene Peterson's translation, or paraphrase, is a really helpful approach to reading a familiar bible passage in a fresh way. In Peterson's words, we get a sense of the cohesion of these fruit, of how they work together to give a picture of a life well lived rather than a tick list of virtues to be acquired. His use of the word "we" so often also remind us that Paul was writing to a community- these words would have been read out to the church, not studied individually in a private bible study, meaning that those who heard them would not only be able to encourage one another but also hold in another accountable. This was not a private version of holiness, but a shared vision of what human life could look like, and a communal commitment to make it good.
How would you and your faith community rewrite these verses?
Should we make time when we meet together not only for a creed, reminding ourselves of what we believe, but a statement like this one from Galatians of a vision for the kinds of people we are becoming?
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