brunch

You can make anything
by writing

C.S.Lewis

by 여름나무 Jun 23. 2022

024. Responsive (adj) 즉각 반응하는

Giving Table SE2 Day 4

Photo by Marc Ignacio  on Unsplash


From the Book

Our desire to feel alive can be twisted and corrupt, a feeling that can’t be trusted. We arrive here upside down, clench-fisted, screaming for relief and warmth and safety, and we’re not too picky about how we get it. What do we know of being alive? The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. Isn’t it?


For so long I was too afraid of my own mixed motives and false experiences of life to even consider waking up to my truest, most intimate desires. It felt wrong to want to uncover desire. But darkness and deceit is not all there is to the heart of a man or a woman. If we continue to live as though our hearts are desperately wicked, we have tragically misunderstood the work of Christ.


When God told Israel through the prophet Ezekiel he was planning to replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh, he had us in mind. “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, reponsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations” (Ezek. 36 : 26 - 27).


<A Million Little Ways> Emipy P. Freeman p51-52


Ashley's Note

“Responsibility”


I remember Professor Kang, the head of the Department of Social Welfare at the time, wrote this word on a whiteboard. He asked us if anyone knew the definition of this word. We all knew it was a rhetorical question so none of us didn’t dare to answer him. After few seconds, he wrote another words on the board.


“Responsibility = Response + ability”


His definition was a shock. Before hearing, I had somehow always thought of responsibility as a passive word. You are responsible to do something because you are given the task; however, Professor Kang’s definition made me think the other way around. You do something because you choose to be responsive to the certain task. Attitude. Motives. Life-changing choice.


Nehemiah chose to be responsive to his cracked heart and told the King what he wanted.

Esther chose to be responsive to her people’s miserable mourning and went to the king by saying “if I perish, I perish.”


When they chose to be responsive to deep desires aroused from their wounds, God lit the fire. The walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. The Jews were set free from evil plot of Haman. The question is not about having enough ability for the task, but about having a willingness to be responsive. Oh Lord. Take out my stony, stubborn heart and give me a tender, responsive heart.




Giving Table Members' Sentences with "Responsive"

The things that are not alive can't be responsive. - D.


You get to be super responsive to who you specially care, and the attitude can sometimes only be the way showing your love. - S.


Very impressive! Responsibility is not our task that has due dates; often times I hassle my kids to be responsible for the given chores. So amazing to think the way around that I chose to be responsive for the task. How much do I responsive to God's calling? - J.




보배합에서는 판교책방의 북 펀딩 서클인 북 커뮤니티, 기빙 테이블 시즌 2가 진행되고 있습니다. 

보배합지기 여름나무 Ashley와 테이블 멤버가 함께 크리스천 여성작가인 에밀리 프리먼의 <A Million Little Ways>를 발췌하여 읽고, 매일의 미션 단어로 짧은 글을 영작하며 10일을 보냅니다.


더 알기 원하시면 보배합과 판교책방의 공간에 찾아와주세요.


보배합 기빙 테이블 : https://bobaehap.com/givingtable

판교책방 인스타그램 : https://www.instagram.com/pccbookclub/


매거진의 이전글 023. Elicit (v) 끌어내다
브런치는 최신 브라우저에 최적화 되어있습니다. IE chrome safari