Welcome to A Prayer Practice,
A podcast by The Gathering.
I'm Kelly Weber,
And I'm a spiritual director.
So people can't see what they can't see—a truism,
For sure.
These days,
Our differences preclude walking in each other's shoes,
Trying to understand someone else's perspectives.
So much of the division in our world today is due to willful blindness.
I've been having lots of discussions lately about the value of Enlightenment ideals as a remedy for the feelings as facts post-truth world we inhabit.
The other day,
I heard a monologue by Jim Gaffigan where he said,
The country is more divided than ever.
There's the people who are right,
And then there's the people who are right.
I think that sums it up pretty good.
So one of the things that I've been doing is listening to the podcast Learning How to See by Brian McLaren,
A public theologian and activist.
It's based on his short ebook titled Why They Don't Get It—Overcoming Bias.
In it,
He outlines 13 different biases that skew our thinking away from logical reasoning,
Which can bring us to some shared agreements,
And into emotional reactions that keep us divided.
These biases only serve to highlight our differences in order to keep us,
Well,
Comfortable.
Some of the biases.
Confirmation bias.
This is where we judge new ideas based on the ease with which they fit in and confirm our old ideas and trusted authorities.
There's complexity bias.
Our brains prefer simple falsehood to complex truth.
Community bias.
It's hard to see what our community doesn't,
Can't,
Or won't see.
Complementarity bias.
If you attack my ideas,
I'll attack yours.
Competency bias.
We don't know how much or how little we know,
Nor do we know how much or how little others know.
Comfort or complacency bias.
I don't like things that make me uncomfortable.
There's more.
He outlines 13.
I encourage you to listen to the podcast or pick up Brian's book.
Our prayer today comes from this podcast written by the hosts.
They are beautiful prayers.
They ask God to work on us.
Allow us to see where we don't know what we don't know.
Make us aware.
Shape us into reasonable,
Honest people that look at the world clearly.
Let's pray.
Find a comfortable seat.
Take a moment to breathe easily and freely.
Notice if this talk about bias and differences has created any tension in your body,
Any anxiety.
If so,
Just recognize that and let it be there.
Breathe around the tightness and tension into the spaces that are open.
Let your breath drop deep.
Let your shoulders fall,
Your belly loosen.
Feel your feet on the floor and your neck and spine free and lifted.
And in this silence,
We consent to the presence of God and the action within us.
Wellspring of all self knowledge,
Give me humility so that I do not overestimate my competence.
Save me both from excessive confidence and a lack of confidence.
Instead,
Please grant me proper confidence to see myself,
My abilities,
And my limitations with a clear eye and a sound mind.
Grace who beckons me towards growth.
Help me see what I am mature enough to see right now.
And not only that,
Help me to know now how little I can know until I grow more mature.
Grant me curiosity and awe so that I may honor the bottomless,
Limitless wonder and the beauty,
Glory,
And mystery that permeates this world.
Force of wonder,
Help me see with wonder.
Depth of mystery,
Help us find a light and truth so profound that they surpass all knowing.
Fountain of compassion,
Help us see with compassion.
Renderer of justice,
Help us see with justice.
Revealer of truth,
Help us see what is real.
Holy wisdom,
Whose presence fills our ever-expanding universe,
Help our horizons ever to expand.
Light of glory,
Help us to see with humility and awe.
Amen.
Thanks for praying with me today.
Take this blessing and may it create some space for clarity in you today.
May you always lead with someone's accomplishments rather than their failures.
May you value the intentions of the heart.
And may you be honest about your own intentions.
May you shift easily.
May you love deeply.
May you reason judiciously.
And may the one who ate with tax collectors and sex workers teach you that we are all deeply marked for love.
Be well,
Friends.
Till next week,
When we continue our practice.
