By Diane Ruebling
Today I am waiting eagerly for the window washers to come. I had to book the appointment way in advance and the windows really, really need to be washed. How excited I am to have the clarity and light that comes with sparkling clear windows. Good analogy for Christian lives, don’t you think? We look for things that bring clarity and light to our lives. In fact, we often crave it!
We read and study the Bible to understand God’s messages to us. Yet, many times we ponder the intricacies of interpretations in what we read. We watch television and read the news to understand what is happening in our world but it can be confusing and overwhelming. Instead of clarity and light, we often feel like we need a window washer for our souls.
Where do we find those activities or organizations that support our faith journey and quest for clarity and light? Fortunately, we at Pinnacle and in AZ have a plethora of options. I’d like to share a couple with you that have been personal treasures to me.
One organization is the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute. As you know, the Honorable Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. On the bench and after retirement, she has always been dedicated to making this world a better place. The O’Connor Institute’s mission is to have a non-partisan organization to advance civics education, civic engagement and civil discourse. Her own words best describe what she visioned.
"Society, at all levels, has a need to work together to solve the many challenges facing our nation. I know that it is possible for people to sit down together and engage in cooperative problem-solving. My hope is to create a place that will be a center for problem-solving and for bringing together groups with divergent views. This is what I want the O'Connor Institute to stand for. We can do it. The possibilities are endless."
When I came to AZ, it was my pleasure to get to know this amazing woman. In her very visible life, she has always made a concerted effort to bridge gaps in knowledge, to understand points of view on both sides, and to serve the rule of law and the Constitution of this great country. If she and another judge were vehemently opposed to each other on an issue, she would go out to lunch with that judge so they could seek to understand each other better. She also never lost her sense of humor and humanity…something we all need more of in this world. She encouraged civility and discourse…not tribalism or divisiveness. What a wonderful role model!
Likewise, our own Fran Park Center had the foresight and wisdom to bravely create a series called Courageous Conversations. Like the O’Connor Institute, we seek the means to have civil discourse on topics that are often unclear and murky or that evoke strong beliefs that may differ from others. We meet to get better at disagreeing lovingly and to celebrate our differences as assets rather than threats. We meet to “Listen for what the Spirit is saying to the church.”
Feeling blessed by our community and by our church that provides us with special opportunities like these as we seek clarity and light on God’s path for us! Praise be!!
Diane Ruebling has been a member of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church since 2010. Previously she lived in Iowa, Texas, California, Utah and Minnesota. Professionally she is an executive business coach and personally she does a lot of her window washing for the soul with the Fran Park Center for Faith and Life, the Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute.
