Islands in Ourselves

This Sunday marked the beginning of the Advent Season in the Christian tradition, and in scripture it reveals John the Baptist announcing the forthcoming birth of Jesus.  While that is a distinctively Christian commemoration, as we often find across religions, there is a theme that demands all of us to rethink our lives.

John asks us to "repent," a word that in the original Latin means to "rethink" or to "think again." Today our pastor invited all of us to to rethink the "islands in ourselves."  By that he meant places in us which we consider unchangeable, where we are not open to influence from others.  He used by way of example our eating habits when we know our cholesterol levels are too high, but we refuse to consider other ways of eating. Clearly, there is something for us to learn...and change, but often we are intransigent to change.

In a world which is characterized by intransigence, perhaps we should look to find common ground with others who are equally intransigent...but on the other side(s).  How easy is it to think that our perspective is the only one or the only virtuous one, when in most cases, no side is without fault or virtue.

Yet, I struggle.  Integrity is critical to me.  Being "at one" with what is right and true is core to who I am.  How do I make sense of "rethinking" and still stay in integrity.  Does integrity mean that I am not vulnerable to other versions of the Truth?  Does it mean that I should pick up what I believe to be true and examine it to determine if there are other sides of the Truth?

As we go into a season which is characterized with singing, eating, drinking and socializing, I will step back this year and wonder, "Are there places in my life in which I might find other versions of the Truth?"  I believe that the message of the Christmas holiday is to find peace, joy and love and to come together as a single humankind.  How can I do so with the Truth that we are all connected, and each of us contributes to the real Truth of coming together?  How can I do so without owning that there are islands in myself that are and should be vulnerable to other versions of the Truth?