|
EVERY DAY, WE HAVE A CHOICE
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is
good; love one another with mutual affections; outdo one another
in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve
the Lord.
I recently had lunch with a
friend, Jim Rhatigan, former vice president for student affairs
and dean of students at Wichita State. He said a colleague had
asked him about the single best piece of advice he could give
after nearly five decades of working with students. His
response: Never underestimate the importance of an ordinary day.
"I have come to understand very clearly that any one day, any
one encounter, can make a difference in my life or any life," he
said. He talked about the significance of small acts of kindness
and how we cannot surrender to a bad day. "What if that day was
the very day you could have made a difference?"
In the words of Christy Hansen, a former member of our youth
group: "You never know when you're going to be the answer to
someone else's prayers."
These verses are clear: We are to serve the Lord by showing
genuine love, affection and honor toward one another, never
lagging in enthusiasm. But how do we do that day after ordinary
day, when we're tired, focused inward, overwhelmed?
It is in every moment of my day that I have a choice.
As others have shown me, it takes little to offer a kind word,
assistance with a door, eye contact and a smile, a respectful
tone rather than impatience, warmth when someone is expecting
harshness or indifference, and listening with genuine attention.
Lord, thank you for
those who have shown kindness and love when I needed it most.
Help me see how I can show your love, even in small ways on the
most ordinary of days. Amen.
Jill Pletcher
|
