Busy as Bees?

The view overlooking the bluff from the back terrace of St. Mary’s and a cup of coffee make for a satisfying morning combination.  Looking out into that spacious beauty, I realize that I am a part of something expansive and powerful.   But the larger picture encapsulates a more immediate and closer truth. I looked down and noticed the lawn was a complex combination of greens and textures of various ground covers—no pallet laid sodded lawn here!  It made me feel much better about the “grass” at my home, spread with dandelions and clover, lots of clover.  And this clover dappled lawn made the perfect invitation for a honey bee to accomplish its work this morning.  My eyes spied one of the little creatures dashing between heads of clover right at my feet—there must have been 50-60 clover heads in a three foot radius in front of me.  The little bee was beautiful—lighting from flower to flower, and so busy! It hit all of them, pausing on each stem, and then flew away home.   It is interesting that this little bee toils so hard and seemingly effortlessly, maybe joyously (at least for me to watch).  She works without thought of the outcome, and for the benefit of others, nourishing the queen and young bee larvae with the final product of her work….and perhaps a raccoon that is lucky enough to find the hive!  Our work is usually driven by our desire to see results.   And, in the Centering Prayer understanding of human nature, to let others see our good results.  This of course, helps inflate our egos, ever promoting what Thomas Keating calls the false self—the image of self that we build outside of God’s desires and purposes, resulting in what the contemplative movement towards wholeness and divine union calls “my self-glorification program!”   When we are interested in other peoples’ reactions to our work, we will usually compromise God’s ultimate purposes and divine love.   

This little bee reminds me that the work of God’s Kingdom is for others that I may never see or know.  If I am always results driven, then I will miss the joy and peace of participating in that channel of love and generative-ness that was begun long before I set out to do anything.  A love that has indeed nurtured me and caught me in its tide in Christ Jesus.  This flow of love goes on eternally and it is our deep joy to find ourselves lost in it without needing to know the final results of our efforts.   

And now here’s the real kicker for one more lesson to be learned today, “Goodness,  when have I slowed down enough and simply watched someone else work for 30 minutes and taken pleasure in what they are doing rather than always thinking about what I need to accomplish next?  When have I just sat still and enjoyed God and God’s creation without any expectations?”    

I think my soul is catching up with my body. 

 O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be our strength.  Lift us we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  p. 832, The Book of Common Prayer