The Primacy of Relationships

I have been doing a lot of work lately on my manuscript of The Theology of Wine.  My good friends Skip and Judi have been helping me edit and organize the materials.  The first thing that Skip asked was, "What is the purpose of this material?"  The question took me back.  I simply wrote the material to use in my small groups on wine and theology.  So Skip and Judi helped me write a mission statement.  One of the values that   we came up with is the idea that love and relationships are our primary biblical hermeneutic instead of right belief and judgement.  What does that mean?  Hermeneutics are the systems we use to understand things like the Bible.  As I was growing up my church placed a high value on right belief.  We were taught that we were going to heaven because of God's grace, and not  because of our own actions.  There was a subtle background teaching that others would not go to heaven because they did not believe in the right way (read that Roman Catholics.)  
It hasn't been until recently that I have come to understand the Bible in a new way.  I now interpret the Bible, and especially the life of Jesus, as an extended teaching in the value of love and relationships.  We don't teach people into the kingdom of God through right belief, we love them into the kingdom of God through relationships.  So, lately I've been trying to concentrate more on the relationships in my life.  In the photo to the left are some friends who we had over for dinner the other night.  Robin is forcing them to look at photos from Noel's wedding this summer!  The meal was a wonderful time of sitting around for three hours, eating, drinking wine, sharing stories, and yes looking at wedding photos.  It is surprising to me how infrequently we are able to gather with people we love and take the time to have dinner with them.  Other things just seem to be more important, or pressing.  I'm trying to change that.
After harvest this year Robin and I took a trip out to the coast.  (That's a view from one of my favorite spots on the coast in the photo on top of the page.)
Vineyards are one thin place to me, a place where somehow God is closer and I'm more aware of God's presence.  The Oregon coast is another one.  We managed to get there just as the first real rain system of the fall was rolling on shore.  I loved it.  There is no weather that I do not love at the coast.  We also had the pleasure this weekend of having our granddaughter come by the house.  We have been trying to get up to see her every other week, but it is difficult to carve out the opportunity at times.  I once read a book that presented the spiritual problem of "the tyranny of the urgent".  Life, or work, or school, or other activities will pile a mountain of "to do" items on the top of your desk.  It is a constant struggle to get our relationships back up to the top of that pile.  It's a struggle, but it is so worthwhile.  Every time I get away, or gather with friends around a wonderful meal with good wine I wonder, "why have we taken so long to get together like this?"  The answer is the urgent, and how tyrannical it is on our schedule.  So, before the crazy holidays hit, take some time to nurture those relationships that are important to you.  Time is your most precious resource.  Spend it well, and by all means, enjoy some wine with people you love.