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Dr. Janice Love, deputy general secretary for the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church
Image by:David Paul
Source: Women's Division
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Nineteenth century Hindu mystic and guru Sri Ramakrishna once said, “Religion is like a cow. It kicks, but it gives milk, too.”
Our Christian “cow” needs to give more “milk” and less “kick.” Those of us who claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior must live, more clearly and boldly, Christ’s life-giving message of love, grace, mercy, and justice for all. We must know there are high standards to discipleship and times when we’ll be “kicked” for truth-speaking—for which the blessings will be rich.
If we are true to our Purpose as United Methodist Women, we strive to be all about milk and honey. Perhaps we don’t always succeed, but we try. Milk and honey are the ancient biblical symbols of peace, rich blessings, and prosperity first introduced in the Exodus story. Newly baptized Christians in the early church were given a taste of milk and honey to be claimed and shared through their new freedom in Christ, along paths no one had walked before.
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Scripture reading from Matthew conveys the teachings Jesus transmitted to his disciples. Jesus describes those who will be blessed and will partake of milk and honey as the poor in spirit, the mourners, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers.
Our job as United Methodist Women is to uphold our long tradition of providing spiritual guidance and religious education to our local units, our neighborhoods, our conferences, our denomination, and the world. Perhaps we need to explore some new and creative ways of carrying out our purpose, but our job as women in mission has always been (and will continue to be):
• to witness to the loving and grace-filled saving power of Jesus Christ
• to witness to the rich blessings of milk and honey promised to those called to discipleship
• to ensure that a rise in religious intensity does not routinely result in injustice or violence.
United Methodist Women can and will make a difference. The blessings are many, if only we claim them.
As United Methodist Women, you have signed up not only to be on Jesus’ team but to lead the way in a mission of God’s love, mercy, justice, charity, and peace. As representatives of all the women who pledge and give their time, talents, and money to mission, you devote weeks and months to create and support institutions, programs, and people who offer both real and symbolic milk and honey to a deeply wounded world. In big and small ways, you are charged to bring love, grace, justice, and mercy to those who know hatred, pain, deprivation, injustice, and violence all too well. I hope you feel surrounded by the rich blessings of rising to this challenge, of being free and whole persons in Jesus Christ, of upholding Jesus’ high standards of discipleship, and of making this witness, even when it’s hard to do.
Jan Love,
Deputy General Secretary
Women’s Division
Date posted:
Mar 04, 2005
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