Love

Which Way to Go?

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But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 1 John 2:11 NIV

Don’t you wish that following God’s guidance could be like entering an address into your GPS? Then knowing the right direction would be as simple as listening to the calm pleasant voice alerting us to turn at the next intersection.

smartphone car technology phone

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But finding the right career path, soul-mate or next apartment is not about knowing which way to turn. God’s word is clear that what matters to Him is in how we treat the people around us. In fact He tells us that we are stumbling through life because we are mistreating, manipulating or using others for our own advantage in ways that God calls hate. When we treat anyone with hate then we walk straight out of the presence of God and down a dark path. It reminds me of when we were driving home from Northern Vermont. The GPS in our car kept saying, “Satellite transmission lost”. We kept going the wrong way and sometimes even in circles until we stopped at a gas station and asked directions.  In the same way finding the right spiritual direction means following directions from someone who can show us the way. That someone is Jesus Christ, who loved us even when we were his enemies and showed us the way to His Home.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11 KJV

Run over anyone’s mailbox lately?

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And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.   Matthew 22:39

Our neighbors may know we go to church but they also know see how we clean our house and what laundry we hang out on the line! As God’s children we need to act in loving ways to all kinds of people at all kinds of unexpected times.

Long ago when I worked on a tree trimming crew our practice was to eat our lunch in the truck on the job site. So one day while we were clearing along  a narrow road at lunch I pulled the truck off to the side as far as I could in order to allow cars to pass. When it was time to get back to work, I started up the truck and began to pulling forward when I suddenly heard a loud crunch. Slamming on the brakes and jumping out I discovered that I had run over someone’s mailbox.

Kevin, my co-worker was doubled over with laughter, “You’re in trouble now Pete!” he said with glee. I was frustrated and embarrassed but humbly I walked up the driveway, knocked on the door of the house.  What a relief it was that the lady who owned the mailbox was understanding and accepted my apology as well as my offer to come back to fix it after work.

When I got back to the truck Kevin had stopped laughing and as I started to pick up my tools to return to work he turned and said, “Now I really believe you are a Christian!”  It wasn’t too long after that when Kevin gave his heart to the Lord. So if we want to love our neighbor as ourselves  sometimes, apologizing for running over their mailbox is  the best way!

Flying in Formation

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Having spent most of my life outdoors I can attest to the amazing complexity of birds gathering for migration. No single event or calendar day can contain the thousands of interactions that take place as flocks begin to grow. There is a lot of push and pull, as they swirl back and forth in every direction for weeks. But if things go according to design the day finally comes when they decide to form up and head for their Winter home.

Our family has experienced so many of the same issues that God has taught the birds how to overcome. There have been many conflicts and sorrows, changes and difficulties. But all through the years there has also been an overriding force that has kept us together. That force in our family has been the love of Jesus Christ. He continues calling us together in spite of all our differences. He seems to specialize in knitting our hearts together in times of adversity. He has worked tirelessly, day and night, year after year to teach us to fly in loving formation. All of this Jesus does, not simply to force us into His path; but rather to prepare us. He has looked at the forecast and He knows we need to prepare. He sees that just ahead lies a Wintertime and we must form up and be ready for our journey home!