3MN: moving closer to the margins so that the margins themselves will be erased.
Happy 3-Minute Thursday!
You are busy, so let's make this quick. No fluff, no filler, no spamming. This newsletter will help you think in the best way and be a Christian on purpose.
💬 In the next three minutes:
☝️ What happened in Russia this past week.
✌️An extraordinary quote about people on the margins.
👌 A new section to emphasize action as testimony.
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🐻 Minute 1 - What is happening in Russia?
Something unexpected happened in Russia when a group of mercenaries called the Wagner Group turned against their own country. Led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group complained that Russia wasn't supporting them enough and decided to march towards Moscow, home of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But before things got worse, an agreement was made to avoid more fighting.
There's a big question now as to what the future means for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and for what is now called the war in Ukraine. And even as Vladimir Putin appears to have survived this attempted treason and effectively an attempted coup, the reality is that if you are shown to be this weak, the coup probably hasn't been put down. It just may shift to a different fuse.
⭕️ Minute 2 - Shifting to a thought about the people on the margins.
A thought from Gregory J. Boyle in his book, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion:
“No daylight to separate us. Only kinship. Inching ourselves closer to creating a community of kinship such that God might recognize it. Soon we imagine, with God, this circle of compassion. Then we imagine no one standing outside of that circle, moving ourselves closer to the margins so that the margins themselves will be erased. We stand there with those whose dignity has been denied. We locate ourselves with the poor and the powerless and the voiceless. At the edges, we join the easily despised and the readily left out. We stand with the demonized so that the demonizing will stop. We situate ourselves right next to the disposable so that the day will come when we stop throwing people away.”
In a world divided by strife and conflict, either in Russia or our own homes, it is crucial to embrace compassion and empathy. As Jesus followers, we are called to stand with those whose dignity has been denied, to support the poor, the powerless, and the voiceless.
We are not called to pride, selfish gain, or isolation.
🚀 Minute 3 - Something for you to try this week.
Let your actions be a testimony of your faith. We are going to try something new today and shift this section from reflection to action.
👉 Pick 1-2 things from this list to do over the next 7 days:
- Show love to a stranger: Today, intentionally extend Christ's love to someone you encounter. This could be complimenting someone's nails, going out of your way to hold the door open for someone, or giving out free smiles. Shoot me a reply and let me know what you do.
- Practice empathy in your relationships: A friend told me yesterday they needed empathy, not sympathy. It got me thinking about the difference. Take the time to truly listen and ask good questions to someone.
- Volunteer your time: Time is the most valuable asset we possess and how we spend it says more about us than we might realize. Are you leading with your time, or depleting your time?
- Cultivate a heart of gratitude: For the remainder of the week, take time to thank God for His blessings and grace in your life. Grab some sticky-notes and write one thing you are grateful for and stick it somewhere you will see it a week from now.
VERSE OF THE WEEK 🔥
Y K H I P P W M I S O Y, B H T I Y.
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." - Isaiah 26:3
Until next week,
Payton Minzenmayer