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Buckden Roundabout
April 2018
Church News
Thought for the Month
Wounds from a friend.
I have a good friend who recently told me a story about himself. Knowing that it was my turn to write the Rounda-
bout’s ‘Thought for the Month’, and knowing how I always tend to leave things until the last minute (now there’s
my next theme all ready to write!) he suggested I might like to share his story with the Roundabout readers. I
thought that was a pretty good plan.
In his own words, then:
“There’s an old friend I meet up with for breakfast every now and then, to catch up with what’s been going on in
each other’s lives. The last time we met, I expressed an opinion that shocked my friend. My response to his correc-
tive reaction was to become belligerent in my own defence. In fact, a couple of centuries ago I’d have produced a
glove, slapped his face and demanded satisfaction.
“Eventually though, we parted on good terms but I went home feeling very uncomfortable. As I reflected, I realised
that he’d been completely correct. Remember Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘
The Emperor’s New Clothes
’? I hadn't
wanted to hear anything or anyone challenging what I believed to be true; however, like the little boy in the story,
my friend was prepared to say, "But you're naked”.
“How long had I been building on the illusion that what I say has always to be correct? The years hadn't built me a
stronghold of wisdom, only a citadel of pride that was walled by insecurity. What he’d said was tough to hear but it
was needed. He didn't shy away from rebuking me even when I became hostile. He remained loving but firm.”
In Proverbs, Solomon’s book of wisdom, chapter 27 and verse 6, the wise king said, “Wounds from a friend can be
trusted but an enemy multiplies kisses”. Considerably more recently, Nick Lowe sang that, “You gotta be cruel to be
kind, in the right measure”.
Like my friend, I don’t want to walk around naked under a cloak of insecure pride, especially when everyone else
can see through it! Maybe we could all listen to others in humility and be prepared to speak in love to friends who
may be a little like that Emperor?
Just a thought…
Baptist Church.
Weekly Prayer Roster
Each week during the year the Churches, in their prayers, remember the residents of particular streets in the village, those who
work in the parish and village organisations. Those to be remembered this month are:
1st April
Field Close, Lincoln Close, Silver Street, Beaufort Drive, St Hugh’s Road
8th April
School Lane, Buckden Primary School (pupils, teachers and teaching assistants, governors, vol-
unteers, midday supervisors, all support staff)
15th April
Scouts, Cubs and Beavers, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows, Playgroup and Day Nursery, Buck-
den out of Schools Scheme, Buckden Towers Youth Retreat Centre
22nd April
Mayfield, Springfield Close, The Osiers, Stirtloe
29th April
Vineyard Way, Burberry Road, Swan End, Lark End, The Library and its librarians