I have often thought, in the years of teaching college literature and writing, and in the years of teaching my kids, that education is often the art of helping people to notice—enabling them to pay attention, to see new aspects of what we think we already know. It’s about noticing: what sticks out to us? What do we take for granted? What, if anything, should we take for granted?

Life as a Christian is also about noticing. We learn to notice God’s grace in our daily lives. We train ourselves, every Sunday, to return our attention to the God who created us. We celebrate particular moments of grace, such as baptism and communion. And we learn to see the God-createdness in those around us—and that the sins of others are often our sins, as well.

Noticing these things changes us. It reorders our priorities, and it teaches us to live in relationship with God and with each other. We do not exist as isolated individuals, and Christians should know this in our lives and in our faith. We’ll talk about this more in church—I’ll see you there!

Becky

Prayer

God help us to change.

To change ourselves and to change our world.

To know the need for it.

To deal with the pain of it.

To feel the joy of it.

To undertake the journey without understanding the destination.

The art of gentle revolution.

Amen.[1]

[1] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/having-words-with-jesus/sixteenth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-c-lectionary-planning-notes/sixteenth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-c-liturgical-resources