WATCHWORD:
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ. Ephesians 4:32
Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others. Don’t worry about making a good impression on them, but be ready to suffer quietly and patiently. Colossians 3:12
Meditation:
Keys to a Full Life
The Daily Stoic shows up in my email box each day and often provides fodder for thoughts that, more often than not, leads me back to my relationship with God.
This morning’s offering had to do with the hardened heart, and how our idealism, when we are young, is often shrouded in darkness of skepticism, as the scars of living begin to pile up. Our disappointments, and the jokes that life has played on us wear us down and our idealism fades into the background.
Yes, it’s harder to maintain idealism when you’re older but that is the point: Life isn’t about getting more selfish and colder as you go. What kind of life would that be? If we are closing in on ourselves, separating ourselves from the warmth of the love around us, then we are doing something wrong. That would seem to fly in the face of everything that God wants for us.
The Daily Stoic continues: “What the Stoics would say is that time will steadily reveal to you that there is such a thing as evil. That equality of opportunity will never result in equality of outcome, except at catastrophic cost to all. But if you watch carefully, you should also see something else that time steadily reveals: How much we all have in common, that is, how connected we all are. How being kind and generous to others is the most rewarding thing you can do.”
You know, it occurs to me that we hear so much about the good life, from the Good Book, from the pulpit, from televangelists, from well-meaning friends and maybe from our own conscience. The reality of our lives is that we live them one moment at a time. The steps we take might be influenced by others but, at its core, these are our steps taken with intention. Often times we have a choice to be kind, or not. To reach out to help, or not. To show compassion and understanding, or not. Choices, decisions we make.
What our Lord and Savior gives us is guidance for those critical decision points in our lives. What He wants for us is filled with words like love, tender-hearted, forgiving, understanding, patience, compassionate. These are the keys to a rich, full life. Agreed? Amen.
Bulletin Board:
As I write this, I look out my windows at the snow, nearly a foot, that has covered my world and it is beautiful, calming and peaceful, except for the racket of snow-blowers in the neighborhood. I love it, yet I know it has slowed my life but, eventually, I’ll have to work to get my car free of all this beauty, and life will go on. One decision I make with intention. How about you?
Book Alert #2: A prairie mystery, a joyful reunion, a spirit and more, in Middle of Nowhere by Stan Escott, coming soon. Watch this space.
Closing Prayer:
Keep me, O God, from pettiness; let me be large in thought, in word, in deed. As I look into my past with its pain and fear, may I see my hurt through the eyes of love. Let me be done with faultfinding and leave off self-seeking. May I put away all pretense and meet others face to face — without self-pity and without prejudice. May I never be hasty in my judgement, but generous. Let me take time for all things; make me grow calm, serene, gentle. You did not create me to be burned out and exhausted but to be an effective person who does your bidding. Teach me to put into action my better impulses, straightforward and unafraid. Grant that I may realize that it is the little things that create great differences, that in the big things of life we are as one. And, O Lord God, help me to recognize that if I would be strong again, I just want to always be loving and kind. In Your name, Lord, I pray. Amen.
