It was sunny and quite warm for September, so
I decided to go outside and sit under a tree during my lunch break. As I was sitting under a tree listening to
music and knitting, and enjoying time with God, a lady came up to me, and said
she wanted to be sure I was OK. Since I
had been in the same place for what seemed to her to be a long time, she
thought I might be sick and need help. I
assured her I was fine, and she went on her way. I was humbled and amazed that someone would take
the time to stop and check on me to see that I did not need help. I was also ashamed because I have seen the
lady around a few times, and had thought her to be unfriendly. As I finished my
lunch, God reminded me not to be quick to form opinions about people; to wait
and keep an open mind until I know them better before I make determinations about
their character. James says “mercy triumphs over judgment”. For me, I want to
extend mercy as often as I can. I want to keep in mind that not one of us is as
good as we can be; neither are we as bad as we can be. We are all in need of
God’s mercy. So my friends let’s choose to be as
merciful to others as God has been to us. Showing mercy is a way of extending love to others.
As I was driving home today, I passed a person walking on the side of the road. Since it was cold, and snowy, I thought I should stop and offer the person a ride. As I drove on by, I was irritated with myself for not stopping. I could have and should have but I didn't. Why? I was scared! Maybe that wouldn't bother you, but I'm willing to bet there are things that make you afraid. It may be snakes or spiders that send the ticker into overdrive. Or maybe it's your job and finances that keep you up at night when you should be resting. Then again perhaps it's relationships that consume your thoughts and energy. As followers of God, we know that we are told not to be afraid. Yet we often are afraid despite everything we know. As I was driving away from a missed opportunity, I began thinking about what it is that makes us afraid. I honestly am not sure what it is that causes us to be afraid when we should be bold, but I
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