I decided to check out the winners of the Jerusalem Awards (Christian media production) as some of my lovely Gatherers in their guise as part of GRF had been nominated in some categories.  They didn't win, though got some sort of runner-up awards.  What was curious, though, was that in one category I realised I kind of knew the person who beat them, from Talking Donkey, as he is a member of D+6 (in old parlance) and that sometimes the son of my bestest minister friend who is an ac-tor does bits of work for him.

Now I know no-one is is fascinated by that, but I am!

This is not a reflection on the Assembly - that will come - but a couple of Bible passages that have come to mind as I seek to be 'outrageously generous' in real life (and for those who try reading between lines, on this occasion you are probably wrong).

Jesus said, if someone strikes on the right cheek, offer them the left also (Matt 5:39).  One, valid, reading of this is that the offer of the other cheek confounds the aggressor, since under the honour codes of the time, the slap would be administered using the back of the right hand - it would be rather tricky to do this to the left cheek.  But today, my thought is more metaphorical, if someone slaps you in the face, does outrageous generosity mean that you 'turn the other cheek'?  I think it might.

Jesus also said, in response to a question from Peter, that forgiveness should be offered 'seventy times seven' (or seven times seven, or seventy times), suggesting it should be free, full and never ending, even if the person keeps on doing the self same thing  (Matt 18:22).  When someone wrongs us - or we perceive them to wrong us - is it outrageously generous that we go on forgiving them?  I think it might be.

So then, the challenge when the rubber hits the road (or the proverbial the fan) will I turn the other cheek to the person(s) who have hurt/damaged/offended me?  But, what when they have hurt/damaged.offended others about whom I care or who have no voice?  Can I forgive, unstintingly without condoning?

Today my readers will include people who have been hurt in all manner of circumstances; what is the outrageous generosity in those situations?  They will also include people who have hurt others, deliberately or otherwise; what is outrageous generosity there?

There is so much to process from what I have heard on this theme, so much that can become empty rhetoric masking old understandings if we aren't careful.  To reiterate, this post is not a veiled response to anything that was said or done at the Assembly, just my attempts to begin to think what lived outrageous generosity might look like.

Unfortunately Holly the cat does not understand about changing clock times, so after she'd yowled and scratched outside my bedroom door for an hour, I gave in, got up ans fulfilled my servant role in opening a new sachet of food even though she still had plenty of biscuits...  It's a cat's life!

So, should I fall asleep during my own sermon, you'll know why!

I know October isn't quite over yet, but I did turn this blog pink slightly early, and now it's going back to blue.  I still think the awareness raising is important, but this is not a 'single issue' blog.  In any case, I happen to like blue better than I like pink!

By the wonders of mobile broadband (I did take my laptop after all!) a quick post on my way home for Baptist Assembly.  It was, overall, a good experience, good to meet some more people 'in the flesh' and good to listen to some great speakers.  Whilst I don't think we had our ears tickled, I'm not sure we quite managed to exercise the 'outrageous generosity' of which we spoke.  A lot of stuff to process, and some good memories.  Have to write a short piece ofr public consumption... more of that to come.  Overall, very glad I went... one of the best Assemblies I've been to, however flaawed!