Faith

Columnist I read a very interest- BY PASTOR MARVIN ing essay and will share it ARNPRIESTER with you, following which Guest Writer I will explain why I think it is important at this time The following was during these di cult experiences we are sent me by a friend all going through. with no other word. I

A father said to his daughter “You read it and marveled have graduated with honors, here is a at how it is the right question at the Jeep I bought many years ago. It is old right time for us. now. But before I give it to you, take it I am going to refl ect upon it and to a used car lot and tell them that you hopefully allow it to infl uence my are interested in selling it and see how life, my thinking, and my reactions. much they o er for it.” “If we could spread love as quick-

The daughter went to the used car ly as we spread hate and negativity, lot and returned and said, “They o ered what an amazing world we would me $1,000 because they said it looked live in!” pretty worn out.” Might it be that I should ask my The father then said, “Take it to self if this word…, this tweet..., this the pawn shop.” She did just that and Facebook post..., this email will help returned saying that they only o ered spread love or...? $100 because it is an old Jeep. Rev. Marvin Arnpriester is the

The father then asked her to go senior pastor at Sun Lakes United to a car club and returned telling her Methodist Church. father that they o ered $100,000 for it because “It’s an iconic Jeep and sought by many collectors.”

Now the father said to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way.” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. Never stay in a place where no one sees your value. Reading this made me think of how we think of ourselves at various times under certain circumstances. I then begin to think of seasons and holidays, and family celebrations, and our relationship with God. What thoughts enter our minds when we are seated in our respective houses of worship and begin to mouth words we try to understand? What feelings do we experience when we are with friends and family and witness the generations before our very eyes? To me, the most important aspect of praying relates to our feelings about ourselves. There are times when the confi dence we display seems to disappear and we feel a sense of helplessness. Now, I think is the time to really remember that we are who we are for many reasons. What we think of ourselves depends a great deal on how we are accepted. God certainly is accepting. And if God is accepting, how can we not be accepting of ourselves and those we know and meet? I believe that the most important aspect of the essay is to understand we

each have value. Perhaps we should remember that people spread hate trying to constantly prove our worth to someone, means we have already forgotten our value. We cannot and should not start seeing ourselves through the eyes of those who don’t value us. We must cherish our worth even if it seems others don’t. Reciting the prayers, listening to the music, sitting with friends and neighbors, and perhaps family, should help us understand that we matter. Everyone matters. And no one can make us feel inferior without our consent. All this can be accomplished by the simplicity of the worship service designed to make us feel good about ourselves and those we love. Our purpose is to reinforce these feelings through the simple acts of contrition and forgiveness. If God can forgive us, then it stands to reason we can do no less with those whom we know and the one’s yet to meet. Then, in my humble opinion our prayers will have meaning and our feeling of self-worth will lead us to a path of completion and fulfi llment. Rabbi Irwin Wiener D.D. is the spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Community.

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