Ever realize that you have been a source of God's grace for someone else? Ever hear yourself say something, and then learn that the person who heard it needed those very words? Carol Houselander calls such moments as being the "Reed of God".
I need to be reminded that I am not on this journey for myself alone. I am part of a bigger picture, one that includes others, a community. There are times when God gives something to me, not for me to keep for myself, but for me to pass on to another. It is my task, my challenge, to be sensitive enough to let that grace continue to flow on to that person. I can only do that if I am an open reed of God.
In a way, it is harder to be a source of grace than to be a doer of good works. It is harder to believe in the power of your prayer than to take satisfaction in an accomplishment. It is harder to be a reed than to be a drum. Because there are times when I need to be still and be an instrument of God.
Houselander says that to be a “reed of God” requires openness that allows me to be empty so that grace can flow through me unimpeded. Not an easy task, as empty sometimes feels like useless. Yet, this kind of emptiness is actually grounded in trust and courage, a willingness not to always be busy.
And so, I need to ask myself, am I ready to be a reed?
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