My Struggles, and Then I Fly Away
David Richardson
Connections Who Am I?
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I would like to share some thoughts about our raison d'être of life. I have often asked myself – “Who am I?” After much reflection, I see myself as part of multiple communities- a community of thinkers; a part of the world’s communities; a part of the national community; a part of the state community; a part of the local community; a part of my neighborhood; and a part of the body of Christ. This is a partial record of my ups and downs with some thoughts and recommendations about who I am and my thoughts on who you should be. I would like to end this book of success and failure stories with some thoughts and recommendations about who I am and who you are. Many people have asked the age-old question, “What is the purpose of life?” Jesus gave a salient and simple answer in John 13:34. For Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you…” Simply put, the purpose of life is love.
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Love is the key that opens doors to peace, tranquility, and unity. “Love conquers all�, and love leads to unity. Unity connects the diverse parts to make the whole, and whole working together unifies the community. The community represents many entities. The community could be your home. The community could be the church. The community could be the neighborhood. The community could be the city. The community could be a state or a province. The community could be a country. The community is a collection of people dedicated to the mantra described in Matthews 25:35-40. The connection to the community does not mean that everyone must think the same thoughts or even have to agree with one another. Disagreement is healthy. Unity means being respectful 4
and tolerant of the views of others void of destructive criticisms and replete with constructive criticisms. Unity means being able to work together to affect change.
Unity means being an
inextricable part of the community. The outside and the inside of the human body are great illustrations of a collaborative community. Though there are distinct differences between the outside of the body and the inside of the body, both systems are dependent on each of its distinguishable parts. The outside of the body has hands, arms, legs, eyes, and head. The inside of the body has a heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, lungs, pancreas, and intestines. The organs on the inside of the body function synchronously though they are different and perform differently. The extensions on the outside of the body function synchronously though they are different and perform differently. The first book of Corinthians chapter twelve verses twelve to twenty-seven (the Amplified Version) gives an excellent illustration of the dependents of the various parts of the body on each other. This illustration can be applied to the synchronism that 5
should be found in communities. Following are excerpts from this passage: “…whether Jews or Greeks…we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one part, but of many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” … If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” … If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole [body] were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? … If they all were a single organ, where would [the rest of] the body be?... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” …God has combined the [whole] body, giving greater honor to that part which lacks it, so that there would be no division or discord in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it.” The illustration with the parts of the human body can be used for the synchronism that should exist within our communities. The purpose of the community is described in Matthew 25:35-40, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye 6
came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.� The community represents the collection of individuals. The individuals are connected to the head, and the head is Jesus Christ. Peace and tranquility are established when individuals in the community are connected, and exhibit love for each other. If individuals love one another, then the individuals are connected to Jesus Christ. An unequivocal rationale for being connected to others is described in Matthew 25:35-40. I have a responsibility to affect change, and change must first start within me. I must be transformed into a different person by spiritually amalgamating with Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Spiritual amalgamation means that I must “learn of Him and allow His good and perfect 7
image to replace my evil and imperfect nature”. So, how can that be accomplished? My character needs to be cloaked by Christ’s character. There are many important characteristics of Christ. He is God transformed into a man; He is divinity in the flesh with the caveat that He relied on His Father for His daily earthly walks and talks. Christ's parents instilled in Him the values reflected in God's character. Ten of Christ’s characteristics (among the plethora of characteristics that describe His good nature) emerged. They are love since “…he loved them unto the end (John 13:1)”; patience since He was patient during His tribulations, I should be patient during my tribulations (Romans 12:12); peacefulness since the peace of Christ rules my heart (Colossians 3:15); kindness for God said, “…be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted…(Ephesians 4:32); goodness since He is good (Psalm 100:5); gentleness since He taught me to be gentle with others, even as a nurse cherishes her children (1 Thessalonians 2:7); forgiveness since He commissioned me to forgive others (Ephesians 3:32); humbleness since He “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8)”; compassion since I am told to “be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous (1 Peter 3:8); and mercifulness since He is merciful ( Luke 6:36). 8
Christ’s love enables me to love one another. When I emulate the unconditional love (agape love) of Christ, I will reciprocate that love. I will show patients, kindness, forgiveness, humbleness, and gentleness toward others. I will be kind, and I will be forgiven. Then, I will truly reflex the words of the Lord’s prayer, “…Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others who trespass against us.” Humility is understanding my sinful nature, and my tendency to think that I am better than others. Humility is admitting that God is responsible for my achievements and that I am submissive to His will. I feel the pain, trials, and tribulations of others when I am compassionate. Compassion enables me to have concerns for others, and it helps me address the struggles that others may be experiencing. Mercy means exhibiting forgiveness and kindness in the face of adversity even when others don’t deserve or anticipate my forgiveness and kindness. These ten characteristics do not negate other important Christ-like characteristics (e.g., honesty, dependability, generosity, wisdom, temperance, trust, and fairness); however, they are particularly 9
helpful for me if I am to be a member of the Family of God because they are foundational and fundamental. So, what is wrong with the majority of the people who walk the earth? A Christ-like individual must exhibit the characteristics of Christ in spite of the rampant disregard of most of the world for God’s Ten Commandments. How can I participate in the community? Members of an ideal community should love one another. Members of an ideal community should be inextricably connected and function as a single unit in a similar manner as the diverse parts of the human body function as a single entity. Questions I should ask are, “do I reflect what Paul’s describes as the body? Do the ten characteristics of Christ permeate my inner being? Am I, as an inextricable component of the community, willing to extend a helping hand to others?” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if my olfactory sensors could detect the characteristics of Christ in others? I could detect the odor of comradery and unity reflected in the propensity to love, to be patient, to be peaceful, to be kind, to be good, to be gentle, to be forgiving, to be humble, to be compassionate, and to be merciful. 10
Then, I would be able to detect the closeness associated with being inextricably connected to the Body of Christ and connected with others within the community. What does it mean to be connected to the Body? Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 gives us insights into how you should connect with others. He points out that those who know Jesus are a part of His Body of believers. He uses the body metaphor because the internal and external parts of the body play an inextricable role in making it whole. Paul focuses on the external parts, because they were physically observable in the first century, common era. Today, an internal metaphor
could
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used
also
to
illustrate
the
“wholistic” importance of a functionally complete body. The variety of internal organs function synchronously to affect the unification of a functional human body. In some respects, the synchronous work of the internal organs is a much better illustration than the external appendages. Nevertheless, the primary reason for Paul’s metaphor was to demonstrate the importance of each member of the body of Christ using his/her talent(s) to address the completeness of the body of Christ. Every human being holds an important role in creating a viable community. Consequently, each member is connected to the whole 11
body so that the body can function properly. Some members of the community function as the hands, some members function as feet, some function as eyes, and some function as ears. What would happen to the body if the hands were absent? What would happen to the body if the legs were absent? What would happen to the body if the eyes were absent? The body would have difficulty functioning because it is not whole. Likewise, the community would have difficulty function if its members ceased to contribute their talents and energies to make it whole. The community consists of members who exhibit various talents. For example, some members are leaders, some members are speakers, some members are teachers, some members are politicians, some members are technicians, some members are builders, some members are medical practitioners, some members are engineers, some members are economists, some members are environmentalists, some members are entertainers, some members are athletes, and some members are scientists, and some members are technicians. The list is inexhaustible. Diverse talents determine the wholeness of communities.
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Similar to the incompleteness of the human body without hands; feet; eyes; legs; torso; neck; and head, the community is incomplete without members sharing their talents. Community members should support and encourage one another. Paul said that I could be a hand, or a foot, or an eye, but the body is not only an eye or a hand or a foot; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a body. The body functions more effectively when the hands are present, and the feet are present. So, the community functions more efficiently when its members shared their talents. I am disembodied if I am isolated from the community. Paul uses the body metaphor because he wants me and others to realize that we need each other to be a viable community. Yes, it’s extremely important to embrace the concept that no man or no woman is an island and that no man or woman stands alone. I can make a similar argument for diversity. What would happen to the body if certain parts were absent? It is not whole. Likewise, the community would have difficulty function if its members were not diverse. It is important, for a variety of reasons, that the community embraces diversity.
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Would you want a garden with just one kind of flower? That would make for a boring garden. Diversity is a demonstration of inclusivity within the community. Diversity unifies communities. Communities consist of members with diverse cultures, ethnicity, and race who exhibit various talents. Community members want to be supported when issues surface. God gave different talents to different people so that the community would be complete. That is why the community should ebulliently celebrate its diversity and its diverse talents. Christ is the head and the members are the neck, torso, arms, hands, legs, and feet of His Body. The salient point is that each member of the community should be connected analogously as the internal and external organisms connect to the head. The head contains the brain; consequently, Christ is the community’s brain, and members operate in unison to execute His mission. If I am an inextricable component of the community, then I will analogously respond to that body as the human body responds to the brain. Also, when people look at me, they should see the ten characteristics of Christ reflected in me. I am unified with the 14
people of Christ, and I can work amicably with them to accomplish the mission of the community. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations…And he shall set the sheep on his right hand…. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Jesus healed the sick, gave water to the thirsty, fed the hungry, and paved the way for His disciples and apostles to clothe the naked and visit those in prison. He expects the same from the community. It is difficult to carry the message of a crucified Savior, a 15
resurrected Savior, and a soon-to-return Savior to people who are hungry, diseased, naked and incarcerated. So, the community’s primary responsibility is to address the physical needs of the needy. Do I want to be with the “sheep” at the last roll call when Jesus says “…unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”? The key to unlocking my desire for heavenly citizenship is found in Matthew 25:31-40. The community is a living organism working together to serve Jesus Christ. I am connected to others by Jesus’ love because He redeemed me from the consequences of sin. He has restored me so that I may serve others. The Gospel message is that Christ was born, Christ died, but most importantly, Christ was resurrected. So, “we serve a risen Savior and He’s in the world today. And no matter what men may say, we see His hand of mercy, and we hear His voice of cheer. And just the time we need Him, He’s always near”. Our knowledge of Christ and our understanding of His mission helps me to share His message with the world; therefore, giving me the ability to change the world for the glory of God. 16
I am a part of the community, and I have heard the “battle cry”; therefore, integrate into the body in a show of solidarity, commitment, and unity so that I will use my talents to support others. At the beginning of this book, I said, “the Second Law of Thermodynamics governs the entire life cycles of God’s creations.” Our animate life cycles are replete with chaos and disorder; therefore, our experiences on earth are spontaneous, and we are powerless to reverse them. However, the pathways we take are like rapid moving currents. There are no return mechanisms once we have traveled a specific route. Steps taken are irreversible, and our only recourse is to seek God’s forgiveness for our bad decisions, bad behavior, and the plethora of transgressions that we may have plagued on others. Since life is an irreversible pathway, then we must have a mechanism for forgiveness, because we will stumble multiple times. Jesus Christ is our mechanism for forgiveness, and it is in Him that I put my faith and trust even though “worms destroy my body”. What Paul said in Romans 7:14-20 is so apropos, “…the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the 17
law is good. As it is, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it”. But like Paul, even though “I am the chief” among sinners, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners like me”. Therefore, “…I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth”. So, I know that God has forgiven me for my sins, and I sincerely apologize to those I may have wronged knowing that “…the LORD is [my] judge, the LORD is [my] king; he will save me”. My end has come, and I would like to think that I have left more positive footprints than negative footprints during my sojourn on earth. Jesus Christ left positive footprints; Dr. Martin Luther King left more positive footprints than negative footprints; President John F. Kennedy left more positive footprints than negative footprints; Franklin D. Roosevelt left more positive footprints than negative footprints; Albert Einstein left more positive footprints 18
than negative footprints; Emerson Cooper left more positive footprints than negative footprints, and a host of other individuals’ footprints were mostly positive. Only Christ’s divinity wrapped in the cloak of humanity made Him walk a pathway where every step he made was positive. Not one word uttered from His lips was negative. Not one action he took was negative. Not one touch he made was negative. Not one step he took was negative. He was perfect in every way. He alone can lay claim to a perfect “G” score! He was God with us but relied on his Father for every word, every action, ever touch, and every step. On the other hand, we are imperfect, and we are susceptible to multiple errors. Our ‘G” scores are less than 100. Nevertheless, if we are to receive the gift of God, our positive footprints should outweigh our negative imprints. Also, our lives should be regulated by God’s Commandments if we desire to make a positive contribution to society. I hope that I am in the company of individuals who have left mostly positive impressions during their sojourn on earth. I would like for those who I left behind to say,” David Richardson, who was born on Monday, November 29, 1943, has left more 19
positive footprints than negative footprints as he traversed the diverse pathways of earth.” I hope that my legacy has been one of unity, and like Paul, say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” So, I am love and you are love.
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