The molten metal is stirred with a long paddle to remove air bubbles and is poured into a waiting mold. As they go about their duties, the bell workers are encircled by parishioners who pray with and for them. It reminded me of praying for babies when they are baptized and for religious workers as they go out into the world.
Bells are used by many religions to call the faithful to prayer. There are families of traditional bell makers in Europe that maintain libraries of decorative molds that have embellished holy bells for hundreds of years. I recently watched a documentary on bell making and I was fascinated by the parallels between bell making and the human spiritual journey.
Bells have different tones depending on where they are struck and their composition. The same can be said of people. What you fill yourself with, and what happens to you, impacts the way you handle things. Bells have different tones and people have unique voices and gifts.
If we are to be vessels of love and light, we need to be concerned about our tone. "If I speak in the tongues of men, and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13:1) The Psalms tell me that if I wait patiently for the Lord, he will hear my cry, lift me from the pit and put a new song in my mouth. (Psalm 40:1-3). Perhaps waiting patiently is not as passive as it sounds?
The Bible encourages us to pray, to not grow weary of doing good, be quick to listen and slow to speak and to judge not. This abreviated list may be complemented by spending time in thought provoking reading, scripture study and quiet. I can alter my composition by altering my habits, my media consumption and even how I spend my time. Some times I feel like an old, clunky cow bell. If I am more clear spiritually, God's love can be move through me more easily and beautifully. I accept the challenge.
Bells have different tones depending on where they are struck and their composition. The same can be said of people. What you fill yourself with, and what happens to you, impacts the way you handle things. Bells have different tones and people have unique voices and gifts.
If we are to be vessels of love and light, we need to be concerned about our tone. "If I speak in the tongues of men, and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13:1) The Psalms tell me that if I wait patiently for the Lord, he will hear my cry, lift me from the pit and put a new song in my mouth. (Psalm 40:1-3). Perhaps waiting patiently is not as passive as it sounds?
The Bible encourages us to pray, to not grow weary of doing good, be quick to listen and slow to speak and to judge not. This abreviated list may be complemented by spending time in thought provoking reading, scripture study and quiet. I can alter my composition by altering my habits, my media consumption and even how I spend my time. Some times I feel like an old, clunky cow bell. If I am more clear spiritually, God's love can be move through me more easily and beautifully. I accept the challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment