I am in the process of reading a book entitled, The Divided Ground: Indians and Settlersand the Nothern Borderland of the American Revolution. Author: Alan Taylor, a scholarly historian and ulizer Prize winner.
What struck me is his description of Native American lifestyles: They (Native Americans)cherished the collective security maintained by expecting generosity from the fortunate to the needy. Instead of storing up wealth, prospering chiefs gave gifts to the hungry and ragged. These values of hospitality and reciprocity spread resources through the season and across the village.
(I thought of Acts 2:44 "... and they held all things in common").
Taylor also writes, They (Native Americans) wondered that white people are striving so much to get rich and they heap up treasures in this world which they cannot carry with them to the next.
(Again I thought of Matthew 6:19 : Do not store up treasures for yourselves in this life...")
Here were these Indians in the Northeast, called barbarians and savages even by well meaning missionaries, who never heard of Jesus or his gospel, living the gospel values more demandingly than those calling them Christians, followers of Jesus, not only back then.
Not only Christians back in 1761, but even today.
Usually when we think of the horrendously cruel way our ancestors treated Native Americans, we zero in to the Wild West, but this book deals with Native Americans here in the Northeast.
Can you make a meditation out of these thoughts?
What struck me is his description of Native American lifestyles: They (Native Americans)cherished the collective security maintained by expecting generosity from the fortunate to the needy. Instead of storing up wealth, prospering chiefs gave gifts to the hungry and ragged. These values of hospitality and reciprocity spread resources through the season and across the village.
(I thought of Acts 2:44 "... and they held all things in common").
Taylor also writes, They (Native Americans) wondered that white people are striving so much to get rich and they heap up treasures in this world which they cannot carry with them to the next.
(Again I thought of Matthew 6:19 : Do not store up treasures for yourselves in this life...")
Here were these Indians in the Northeast, called barbarians and savages even by well meaning missionaries, who never heard of Jesus or his gospel, living the gospel values more demandingly than those calling them Christians, followers of Jesus, not only back then.
Not only Christians back in 1761, but even today.
Usually when we think of the horrendously cruel way our ancestors treated Native Americans, we zero in to the Wild West, but this book deals with Native Americans here in the Northeast.
Can you make a meditation out of these thoughts?
posted by The Ronald | 7:24 PM
2 Comments:
Hi Ron:
Very interesting about the charitable acts/lives of the indians. This is something you don't read about often...in my case, I haven't ever heard of these acts of kindness. It is more appreciated as I found out bout ten years ago, my great-great-great grandfather was married to a Cherokee Indian.
Mary
Dear Father,
Unfortunately, when I look at my own race, the race that has known Jesus for a long time,I feel disappointed. It is not becuse of the book you just read about the Northeast natives, or because of such movies like Dances with Wolves. We, white Christians are failing everywhere. As a matter of fact, I am totally disapponted with the social and political reality of our times. I think we got it all wrong, out culture values have nothing to do with the gospel. I feel as a complete missfit among fellow Christians who support wars, abortions, materialism, divorces, etc. Yes, I meditate a lot about the life how it is and how it should be, and then I find myself very alone. This thought pushes me closer towards God and further away from the civilaization I reject.
Yes, we can learn from the natives, as much as we can learn from Asians how to respect our elderly and parents. In our culture, everything is translated into money. Yes, it is important, but it can't become our goal. I see money as a means to use to help all people so all can lead decent lives.
Post a Comment
<< Home