For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than the are the people of the light. (Luke 16:8)

I was deeply moved by a front page article in the New York Times yesterday, along with Angelina Jolie’s editorial a day earlier, about her courageous decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. She writes: “On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved…I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience.”

While Angelina does not, as far as I know, consider herself a Christ-follower, we can learn a few things from her.

1. Leading out of brokenness and vulnerability is powerful. She went public on an issue few Christians have been willing to talk about.
2. We are imperfect human beings with limits. Beautiful and rich as she may be, she humbly acknowledged that she is not in control of life. Her body will return to dust like the rest of us.
3. Our identity is to be deeply grounded in God’s love for us in Christ. Interestingly, Angelina models a more solid sense of self than most of us. She grasps Genesis 1-2 that she is a person with infinite value, a body/spirit – not simply a body. This enables her to speak honestly and serve others. She notes:  “On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.”

Jesus invites us to learn from “people of this world” in Luke 16. I think this is one such occasion.

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The “Rule of Benedict” (RB) is considered one of the classic works of Western literature. More importantly, it challenges the result oriented, numbers-driven, “strategic” leadership models that surround us. Again, I invite you to prayerfully let God speak to you his insights:

1. “The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, his heart quietly embraces suffering and endures it” (RB 7:35).

2. “Our holy Fathers read the full psalter (all 150 psalms) in a single day. Let us hope that we, lukewarm as we are, can achieve it in a whole week” (RB 18:2-25).

3. We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words. Prayer should be short and pure” (RB 20:3).

4. “Sleep clothed. Thus the monks will always be ready to arise without delay when the signal is given; each will hasten to arrive at the Work of God” (i.e. Prayer/Daily Office (RB 22:6).

5. “For nothing is inconsistent with the life of any Christian as overindulgence” (RB 39:8).

6. “Monks should diligently cultivate silence at all times, but especially at night” (RB 42:1).

7. “Indeed, nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God” (Prayer/Daily Office- RB 43:3).

8. “It is the abbot’s care to announce, day and night, the hour for the Work of God” (Prayer/Daily Office – RB 47:1).

9. “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ” (RB 53:1).

10. “Do not grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entry…the concern must be whether the novice truly seeks God… the novice should be clearly told all the hardships and difficulties that will lead him to God” (RB 58:1, 8).

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Benedict (480-547 AD) lived in the time when the Roman Empire was disintegrating. He founded a monastery near Rome around “a little rule for beginners” now famously known as the “Rule of Benedict” (RB). I reread this short, powerful work regularly for my own grounding, both as a leader and a follower of  Jesus. Prayerfully consider the following, letting God speak to you through one or two of Benedict’s radical insights into discipleship/spiritual formation:

1. “This message is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will” (Prologue 3).

2. “Therefore we intend to establish a school for the Lord’s service” (Prologue 45).

3. “Above all, he (the abbot) must not show too great concern for the fleeting and temporal things of this world…but should keep in mind that he has undertaken the care of souls for whom he must give an account” (RB 2:33-34).

4. “Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else” (RB 4:20-21).

5. “Place your hope in God alone” (RB 4:41).

6. “Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die” (RB 4:47).

7. “Prefer moderation in speech” (RB 4:52).

8. “Hate the urgings of self-will” (RB4:60).

9. “There are times when good words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence” (RB 6:2).

10. “Do not aspire to be called holy before you really are, but first be holy that you may truly be called so” (RB 4:62).

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