It’s pretty exciting to think of the similarity of events in biblical Hebrew stories with those in early Christian writings of the New Testament. The timelessness. The awe they invoke. However many centuries apart. However the Deity or event may be defined.

I mean, didn’t the same God-power enable the Hebrews to escape terror, as was wielded by Jesus freeing the ten men trapped in leprosy, the epileptic child, and so many others?

That correlation struck me years ago when thinking of the Shunammite woman in II Kings alongside that courageous woman in Luke’s Gospel―the one who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears: Each honored God and a man of God; each made room for more.

II Kings tells of Elisha the prophet trekking the harsh hot land near the Shunammite’s dwelling. When she asked, her husband readily agreed to build an extra room for Elisha to rest, to bathe his feet. Extending a loving hand to the prophet―honoring the greatness, and God, of the prophet―she actually made room for more love in her own life. Look how her world blossomed! Ultimately having a child it appeared she’d never have. Then witnessing the prophet restore that child’s life. Love resounding with Love’s power to heal.

And so the woman washing Jesus’ feet . . . her outright courage, her love for, and acknowledgment of Jesus―as the Christ―made room for goodness to butterfly in her life. Taking her, from creeping about unseen, to the chrysalis state that transforms to a colorful graceful butterfly. To assume that her life began to glow in holy ways is irresistible!

What promise both stories hold! Time-less. Intertwined. Once when I was telling those stories in tandem, a Christian woman unexpectedly and near inaudibly spoke―referring to the raising of the Shunammite’s son, “why that was a Christ healing . . . back then. . .”

The butterfly process and the idea of blossoming, give promise of delight. Of grace on wing. And of being nourished in the process.

Bible stories can inspire, even thrill . . . and at the same time can feel remote. Yet we know somehow in our hearts that the timelessness of Christ-love, of our oneness with God and each other, is not just “back then.”

A friend who, like myself, is an every-day student of Christian Science―Mary Baker Eddy’s teachings of spiritual healing based on the Holy Bible―has given talks of Eddy’s ideas. Talks that affirm everyone’s innate spiritual identity. Original goodness. Messages of Christly love and promise.

He told me that once a woman entering a “Drug Court” program attended. As a heroin addict, supporting the habit as a prostitute, she despaired of ever being free. My friend suggested she begin to identify herself instead as “a beautiful daughter of God.”

A year later, he spoke there again. Beaming through tears, a woman came up, “you don’t recognize me do you?” He didn’t. She then told of looking in the mirror, each day identifying herself as “a beautiful daughter of God.” She now knew she would “make it, because she knew who she was.” Her parole officer, also in tears, unable to speak, vigorously nodded in agreement.

She’d taken his suggestion to heart, seeing herself as the beautiful daughter God made her to be. And was transformed.

The coincidence of these timeless stories fills me unexpectedly, with thoughts of butterfly wings and angel tresses. Of soaring and delight.

Each woman, in her own way, made room for God, for Good . . . may we also.  Always . . .

 

Patti Kadick lives in Salisbury. Read more at abovebeneath.com

 

 

October 28, 2015