But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing…But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. But when you fast... Matthew 6
But: An arresting word
Heard even within our good spiritual practices (when you pray, when you give, when you fast) ‘but’ signals an alternative coming into view. It may be a ray of light or a challenge to the status quo. It need not be confrontational, but sometimes is. This begs the question, How do you hear Jesus? What’s his tone?
‘But’ is at the heart of miracles, as well as Jesus’ teaching, as exemplified in the raising of Lazarus, arresting a trajectory (death and loss) that had seemed set.
‘But’ need not be macro in size, more a tweak, but an important one. When heard ‘but’ stops us, addresses the headless chicken in us, the blind man who heeds not, offers us another way. I must give space to ‘but’ I hear myself say. ‘But’ is an other word, a community word perhaps, giving different perspectives. ‘But’ gives us the opportunity to pause, to reconsider, to turn towards or aside. What word or words are most apt for you here? Is there a trajectory in your life that seems set? Can you hear an inviting ‘but’ from Jesus?
Threshold meditation
With a ‘but’ in mind go to the threshold meditation.