Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Ah my beautiful Friends in Christ, it was another perfect day in T.O. The ole fella enjoyed it by attending the premiere of the 2009 Caribbean Tales Film Fest running at the U of T William Doo Auditorium this weekend, July 9-12. It’s the fourth annual staging of the event and it gets better every time. This year features a panorama of documentaries and full films from all over the Caribbean by artists of Caribbean birth or descent, so for those who live in the area it would be a most worthwhile event to attend, especially if you’re of West Indian heritage, a glorious chance to catch up on yuh roots. The feature film today was ‘Carmen and Geoffrey,’ the story of Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder, who with Alvin Ailey brought a new meaning to American Dance from the 50’s onwards. Geoffrey is the younger brother of the famous, talented, T & T Holder Brothers, the elder one being Boscoe, who also made his mark internationally. It was a beautiful film that perfectly exemplifies the principles of Today’s Bit: two people, strong and talented in their own right, but wise and generous enough to help each other carry their burden. It’s a story of LOVE, friendship, camaraderie, shared and unshared interests and successes with total loyalty; standing behind each other and enjoying the other’s success without any negative feelings. Oh Friends, let me apologize profusely for a typo I made yesterday, saying it was Job instead of Jacob’s family that went down to Egypt as strangers. And the sad part is that I wrote Jacob on the rough draft, but followed one of my bad habits of not paying enough attention to the draft when I come to copy it. And I read it at least twice before I sent it out. Just goes to show that the ole fella isn’t perfect, and needs help. (smile) As Bruh Paul says, ‘We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.’ So would some of you strong believers please come and share my infirmities? I have plenty. (smile) But it’s the truth Friends; we need to help each other. It’s the basic premise of our faith. Earlier on Bruh Paul declares; ‘Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputings.’ (Rom.14:1) Don’t be contentious over trivial matters; receive them kindly, agreeing to disagree on things or practices that don’t call the faith into question. The strong believer is morally and ethically obligated to help the weaker in things that bother him or he doesn’t understand. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.’ (Gal.6:1-2) So for those believers who have transgressed the Christian walk in whatever manner, it’s the responsibility of those walking firmly in the spirit, to make all effort to bring them back to the tried and true path. This we should do with all patience and selflessness, foregoing our freedom, putting up with our brother’s problems, ‘not to please ourselves,’ but our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the perfect example of the strong upholding the weak, by how He took the burden of our sins unto Himself. Oh mih people, remember sayings like, ‘it takes one hand to wash the other; two hands to clap, and two to tango?’ Well that’s exactly what Bruh Paul is trying to breed in us; the spirit of helping others not as strong or as able as us, in whatever aspect of Christian living they are deficient. And in so doing, we’re not to lord it over them either. Don’t assume the ‘I’m better than you posture because I’m helping you’ that so many believers adopt when they help the less able. Remember Friends to leave the egos outside cause it’s not about us; it’s all about working for Jesus, doing the things He requires of us. We’re to make no account of ourselves for we’re just bit players. Jesus’ name is the one up there on the marquee in big, bold letters and bright lights. Selflessness is often the first and biggest hurdle many believers need to overcome since it’s just a natural instinct when you’re doing good to feel good about yourself, and nothing’s wrong with that once we keep it under control and not let it go to our heads. Oh Friends, the operative words in the Christian faith are ‘help in action.’ That’s our stated purpose, not plenty talk and little or no action as is our wont. And it’s only fitting that we end with an exhortation from Bruh Paul on the matter. ‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.’ (1 Thes.5:14) Oh my people, that’s our calling right there! It’s what Jesus did, and what we’re supposed to do. So let’s do it nuh. Let’s replace our selfish egos with selflessness and help each other. Let’s be like Jesus, who made no account of Himself, although He was of divine heritage, and became a servant on earth. It’s the only way our faith will survive, remain strong, rise above all the problems we encounter and still be viable when Jesus returns. Much LOVE!…a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link…
Ah my beautiful Friends in Christ, it was another perfect day in T.O. The ole fella enjoyed it by attending the premiere of the 2009 Caribbean Tales Film Fest running at the U of T William Doo Auditorium this weekend, July 9-12. It’s the fourth annual staging of the event and it gets better every time. This year features a panorama of documentaries and full films from all over the Caribbean by artists of Caribbean birth or descent, so for those who live in the area it would be a most worthwhile event to attend, especially if you’re of West Indian heritage, a glorious chance to catch up on yuh roots. The feature film today was ‘Carmen and Geoffrey,’ the story of Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder, who with Alvin Ailey brought a new meaning to American Dance from the 50’s onwards. Geoffrey is the younger brother of the famous, talented, T & T Holder Brothers, the elder one being Boscoe, who also made his mark internationally. It was a beautiful film that perfectly exemplifies the principles of Today’s Bit: two people, strong and talented in their own right, but wise and generous enough to help each other carry their burden. It’s a story of LOVE, friendship, camaraderie, shared and unshared interests and successes with total loyalty; standing behind each other and enjoying the other’s success without any negative feelings. Oh Friends, let me apologize profusely for a typo I made yesterday, saying it was Job instead of Jacob’s family that went down to Egypt as strangers. And the sad part is that I wrote Jacob on the rough draft, but followed one of my bad habits of not paying enough attention to the draft when I come to copy it. And I read it at least twice before I sent it out. Just goes to show that the ole fella isn’t perfect, and needs help. (smile) As Bruh Paul says, ‘We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.’ So would some of you strong believers please come and share my infirmities? I have plenty. (smile) But it’s the truth Friends; we need to help each other. It’s the basic premise of our faith. Earlier on Bruh Paul declares; ‘Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputings.’ (Rom.14:1) Don’t be contentious over trivial matters; receive them kindly, agreeing to disagree on things or practices that don’t call the faith into question. The strong believer is morally and ethically obligated to help the weaker in things that bother him or he doesn’t understand. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.’ (Gal.6:1-2) So for those believers who have transgressed the Christian walk in whatever manner, it’s the responsibility of those walking firmly in the spirit, to make all effort to bring them back to the tried and true path. This we should do with all patience and selflessness, foregoing our freedom, putting up with our brother’s problems, ‘not to please ourselves,’ but our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the perfect example of the strong upholding the weak, by how He took the burden of our sins unto Himself. Oh mih people, remember sayings like, ‘it takes one hand to wash the other; two hands to clap, and two to tango?’ Well that’s exactly what Bruh Paul is trying to breed in us; the spirit of helping others not as strong or as able as us, in whatever aspect of Christian living they are deficient. And in so doing, we’re not to lord it over them either. Don’t assume the ‘I’m better than you posture because I’m helping you’ that so many believers adopt when they help the less able. Remember Friends to leave the egos outside cause it’s not about us; it’s all about working for Jesus, doing the things He requires of us. We’re to make no account of ourselves for we’re just bit players. Jesus’ name is the one up there on the marquee in big, bold letters and bright lights. Selflessness is often the first and biggest hurdle many believers need to overcome since it’s just a natural instinct when you’re doing good to feel good about yourself, and nothing’s wrong with that once we keep it under control and not let it go to our heads. Oh Friends, the operative words in the Christian faith are ‘help in action.’ That’s our stated purpose, not plenty talk and little or no action as is our wont. And it’s only fitting that we end with an exhortation from Bruh Paul on the matter. ‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.’ (1 Thes.5:14) Oh my people, that’s our calling right there! It’s what Jesus did, and what we’re supposed to do. So let’s do it nuh. Let’s replace our selfish egos with selflessness and help each other. Let’s be like Jesus, who made no account of Himself, although He was of divine heritage, and became a servant on earth. It’s the only way our faith will survive, remain strong, rise above all the problems we encounter and still be viable when Jesus returns. Much LOVE!…a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link…
SCRIP-BITS 