Our challenge is to unselfconsciously give our lives away. In this generative discipleship phase our task is to pass it forward, hand it over, in a sense give it up and refuse to hold on to it. What is the “it” in that sentence? The “it ” is our ego, our sense of self in the best sense. We are still making a contribution but no longer looking to strengthen ourselves.
But the night when I read the last page of Timebends, Arthur Miller's autobiography, I felt sad. Many people describe books as good friends and I truly feel I will miss Arthur Miller; his life and thoughts have definitely become part of my daily life, if only through words on a page. Proof of this was when I blurted out to Paul, "I think I'm in love with Arthur Miller." He laughed, I laughed. But the funny thing is, it's kind of true. Not that I want to leave Paul for someone who is pushing 90 but something is evoked
When I think of covenant, the first thing I think of is food. Not just because I like to eat but primarily because of what eating together reminds me of. Because you don't eat together with enemies, you eat with friends. With morning snack beforehand and a potluck afterwards, our meetings together are bracketed by eating together.