Month: June 2020

He Who Works Mysteriously

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I and Me and Mine and My

Were all that I could see

When life was just smooth sailing

The world was about me

Photo by slon_dot_pics on Pexels.com

But winds and pains and waves have tossed

My comforts overboard

Till driven by the storm I put

My focus on the Lord

For He who works mysteriously

His will and by His way

To Him who loves us fully

I give my life today

He WHo Works Mysteriously by Peter Caligiuri © 2020 All rights reserved

Willing to Be a Neighbor

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But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to himand bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.      Luke 10:33-34        

Jesus told a story of three people who passed by a man left for dead. Two of them were busy with their lives but one chose to stop and help. The first man was known for his religion and the second for his good family background. But only the third; a Samaritan, who even Jesus’ disciples would have avoided because of his race was remembered as a good neighbor. The Samaritan became a nieghbor because he slowed down long enough make a connection to someone he didn’t even know. He didn’t care about what anyone thought. His willingness to connect to a single person is remembered after 2,000 years! He was willing to serve, he shared a smile, even when no one else was willing to help. Making a connection meant taking the time to have compassion even when he was in a hurry.

God is holding a doorway open to make a connection to you and me today. In the story of the Good Samaritan we never do find out what happens next to the man left behind at the inn. In the same way today, Jesus is asking us to show mercy even when we don’t know what might happen next. The rest of the story because belongs to God. He is the greatest author of all time and He has some amazing endings to write for anyone willing to be a neighbor.

Free Advice for Snapping Turtles

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“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6 NIV

I glanced out the side window of my car and noticed a cute little turtle slowly plodding across the road on the other side. At first I simply sped by but then the guilt of leaving undone the small good deed of helping him get safely home outweighed my brief inconvenience so I turned around and headed back. By the time I spotted him he was well out in the lane of traffic so I gingerly reached to pick up the little guy when it became immediately apparent that A) He didn’t want my help and B) My small friend was a snapping turtle!

Trying to help someone by giving free advice is a bit like trying to help my turtle buddy. Though the turtle needed my help he neither believed or appreciated it. So what can we do when we see danger ahead for a child a parent or a friend? Helping reaches beyond explaining the right or wrong of the situation to the desire of the recipient to listen. Here are a couple of ideas I learned in two minutes with a snapping turtle.

  1. Let go! I figured this out in the split second between his lunging for my finger and my dropping him quicker than a hot potato! Getting close to the situation doesn’t always get results. Sometimes people need to be loved from a distance. Just because we feel better with our version of helping doesn’t mean it will be effective.
  2. Don’t Give Up – Just because I dropped Mr. Turtle didn’t mean I ran away. In the same way getting out of the “Hot Zone” of the emotions of a hurting person puts us in a place just far enough away to help in a better way. For the turtle that meant I could safely nudge him with my foot. to the other side of the road.
  3. Don’t Be Offended – When I finished my Good Samaritan task and glanced back there was the turtle angrily facing me ready to take a bite if I came closer. He wasn’t about to say thank you! In that same way, successful intervention doesn’t guarantee gratitude. I think of when our son and future daughter-in-law were first engaged. They became convinced that they should marry immediately in spite of being in their freshman year of college. They were also both astonished and frustrated that both sets of their parents insisted that they wait at least a year. What seemed obviously for their best to us as parents was not appreciated for a long time. (I think after 23 years they might agree now!)
  4. God Knows – Though my turtle never said thanks another driver passing by noticed and smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Though it would be great getting approval from those we’ve struggled to help; sometimes the only thumbs up we will get is from God. If He says it’s been a job well done that is more enough!