Dearly Beloveds...

"This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." 2 Peter 1. 12 - 21

In my quest to put on the Armor of Light, the reading from 2 Peter this morning reminded me of one of the wonderful ways to bring Light into the world. As he recalled the Transfiguration, Peter remembers the voice from heaven that came down on that holy mountain as he was a witness to that prophetic message.

That little world "beloved" can brighten a face, a scene, a situation in so many ways. In one of our small groups, a friend started writing to us by opening his emails with "Dearly Beloveds." That become our standard greeting, and I do believe it set a tone for our time together which still prevails all these years later. We have all come to expect it, however there are many people who need to be reminded of their belovedness.

You can stop someone in their tracks by calling them beloved. Try it. Watch them shine and smile, lighting up like a Christmas tree. Like a lantern in the dark, the word beloved will shine a light on a soul in a life changing way. Then if you follow it with "may the peace that passes all understanding be with you now and always" your Armor of Light will glow.

The next piece of armor to work on is the breastplate of righteousness! I wonder what that will look like! Seems to me it's about protecting our heart and our inner lives from the darkness of the world. Knowing we are beloved is a good place to start with that.

The Transfiguration by Paul Oman