Today we begin a brand new, untarnished, pure month--September. Will it be a holy month or a just another in a series--a series that we tacitly or directly assume will extend into the future? What I mean by holy is set apart. Of course for those of us in Judaism and Christianity we understand it to mean set apart to the Eternal, Almighty God.
The broader and more practical question for those of faith and for those who choose not to live a life of faith--the day to day practical question, becomes, "Set apart to who or what?"
Recently quite by accident I encountered one who had given much for our county, a man who not only wore the purple heart, but I assumed had been seasoned and tempered by the years of life beyond combat. I told him of a group to which he might belong--a motorcycle club for those like him who were combat injured. His first question was, "What is in it for me?" I was struck by his disinterest in others who had walked in his boots, who were following along his trail, who might benefit from his experience and lessons he learned along the way.
May I say that "What is in it for me?" is the question of the short sighted. It is the question of those who take great liberties with assuming that the life centers upon and around them. It is the question of those who assume that life will go on and on. It is the question of those who assume that life and all that it contains owe them something or other.
Having said that may we consider, will this month be set apart to selfish concerns or noble concerns? Will it be set apart to live out eternal purposes or temporal desires? Will it be set apart to the satisfaction of personal appetites and desires or to serving others? Will it be set apart to giving and sacrifice or will it be just another month to hoard stuff? Will it be set apart to leisure or will it be devoted to productive activity? Will it be set apart to spending our lives for friend and family or will it be another "Whats in it for me?" month? Just how will you set apart this brand new month? Just how can you make this month different than all other months that God has given you?
We live in a very tentative world. Each of the people lost ten years ago assumed that the September they began would end like every other September they had lived. Did it end as they assumed? Will this month end just as you assume it will? Will this month end just like every other one you have lived? Only God knows what the month holds. However, be it for a day or all 30 days we can decide how we will spend it!
Therefore, may we express our care by listening to the unlovable.
May we look past someone's slight of us.
May we grant forgiveness where it is undeserved.
May we give to someone in need without hope of return.
May we be gentle with the coarse among us.
May we take time to look at a morning sunrise or an evening sunset or the stars and galaxies at night.
May we say a prayer when nothing is wrong.
May we be thankful when all other are complaining.
May we understand how small we really are and yet how important to God.
May we honest with another even when it hurts to be so.
May we face up to and own our own failings when others are speaking highly of us.
May we stoop to hear a child on his level.
May we receive the love of another.
May we stop, think of our many blessings, and be more thankful.
May we elevate the downtrodden with a word of kindness.
May we sacrifice that which we know is wrong in order to do that which is right.
Then finally, may we find our way to the place--our place, that place which belongs uniquely to each of us in a worship community. May we find that place not so much to receive though that is important, but to give. You see that worship community, that congregation which has been set apart to God, has been incomplete without our presence and our giving among them.
No comments:
Post a Comment