Today’s Word from Pastor Jim….
“Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139
When you walk into Payless what do you see? When you walk on the ferry what do you see? When you walk into TLC what do you see?
What you see are people. The people of God going about their everyday routines. They are shopping, commuting, scurrying off to the ferry, going to church or school. They are young, they are old, they are somewhere in between.
What do you see? What do you not see? What is hidden? What is behind the masks and tidy appearances?
The people of God come in all shapes and sizes, but they are much more alike than different. Peel off the skin and you will find that their operational systems are nearly identical. Take a look inside that skull and you will find the command center of the body. That command center will look the same if you are a fashion model, a movie star, a teacher or a boat builder. Hands and toes, blood cells and tissue, bones and joints, we are mostly the same. Most people are good, peaceful, and law abiding.
What do you see? What do you not see? What is hidden from your sight?
People of every land and race are biologically nearly identical. Most people are good, caring, law abiding, they long to love and to be loved. They desire to live peacefully with their families and their neighbors. They bleed when cut and cry when they are hurt. People are mostly the same.
What else? Your friends, family members, neighbors, acquaintances and strangers are all insecure, they are afraid, they are plagued by anxiety. The roots of the anxiety could be found in relationships or in the workplace, in financial fragility or in a disease process that is at work in their bodies. When you walk into Payless what do you see? You see people who are all carrying heavy burdens. Their backs may not be bowed, there may be a smile on their faces, but trust me, behind that smile they are carrying heavy burdens.
Given this reality, I hope that we can be people of grace. I hope that we can be a little more tolerant, a little more patient and kind. I hope that we can see in that neighbor or stranger the image of God. I hope that we can see our own reflection in them. That neighbor or stranger is someone’s daughter or mother.
Unlike God we cannot “discern their thoughts from afar.” However, we know enough about their journey to know that they can use a little TLC from us. As I tell our High School students, “you do not need to be everybody’s friend, but never be their enemy. Never add to the burden that they are carrying.”
Blessed to be a Blessing!
Pastor Jim
PS: If you would like to respond directly to Pastor Jim, please email [email protected].
