Ok! Give the first tap!

2 Timothy 1:3-7 (NRSV)

I am grateful to God -- whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self discipline. 


I am not much into playing dominoes. I am not much into games in general. But I have used dominoes to entertain myself and others.

I have enjoyed setting up dominoes next to one another, seeing how creative I can be with patterns and placement.  My kids used to squeal with delight when the set up was complete and one of them could nudge the first tile and watch the rest fall down.  "Ok," I would say, "Give that first one a tap!"

This concept of movement in one place stimulating movement at the end of the line applies to today's reading from 2 Timothy, doesn't it?  In this case we are talking about the power of faith statements or faith actions. When we live our faith in word and deed we participate in the faith formation of the future.  That is why it is so important that we remember to tend the flame in the heart (or the belly) that is ignited by God.  That fire is stoked through prayer, worship and our (daily!) taste of Living Bread and Water in God's Word.

This "fire in the belly" of our soul can empower us to transmit something of God to others.  The others may be friends or family, or it may be somebody who seems to have no connection to us at all.

When we get nudged towards wisdom or truth by the Holy Spirit, we may be called to speak or do something that sets off a whole line of formation or transformation in others.  Yet often we hesitate to take that first move.  Maybe we doubt that we have anything of value to say, or maybe we think that what we have noticed is too private or personal.  Maybe we find ourselves wanting to manage or control the results of our deeds.  (Not possible!)       In the end, we may then abdicate our part in what might have been an amazing faith phenomenon "down the road".  

So the questions for today are:  Have you moved close to the flame of faith yet today?  What has begun to blaze?  What might you say or do that will bump up against somebody's life?  Do you sense God saying in some way:  "Ok, give the first tap!"  What chain reaction (domino effect) might be stimulated by God's Love shining brightly within your own heart?