Being Humble

Being Humble "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth." (Numbers 12:3). Is there a meek person in your life? What do you think of the meek or humble person at work, in the family, or at church? Would you like to avoid him? We tend to equate humble or meek with being a wimp. In the case of Moses, he was not passive. He took on an Egyptian overseer, stood up to Pharaoh, and hiked the desert for forty years. It is hard to see him as a wimp. Humble is a choice. It is being humble before God and deliberately harnessing your strength, and tempering it to use in a controlled way. Humble is not weak. It is believing and obeying God when you don't particularly want to when it is not the path of least resistance. Moses was not always enthusiastic about what God wanted. He did not feel capable when God called him to lead the people out of bondage. He didn't exactly say, "right on." It was more like, "Me, you have got to be kidding. Try someone else." (see Exodus 4:10-13). God's response "I will be with you." When you feel hesitant and inferior, God says, "I will be with you." When you are wondering if you can make it another day with the job stress, he says, "I will be with you." When you're faced with a tough decision and wondering what to do, he says, "I will be with you." Like Moses, you may be a bit reluctant. But he obeyed God. Moses believed him and did what he said. We can, too, when we humble ourselves. Thought for Today: Let's be humble before the Lord today! Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we pray that we can do your will in our everyday actions. We pray for guidance and humility to accomplish that. Amen

Differences

Differences "...let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up our minds not to put an obstacle in our brothers' way." (Romans 14:13) Growing up in Boston in the 1940s and 1950s, my family was strict about who was acceptable and who was not; prejudiced to the max. I believe that the feelings existed from the fear of competition within our society. Fear that the Italian and Irish immigrants would become equals to the old-time New Englanders; the blacks, Catholics, and the WASPish list went on. (I made up that word WASPish.) There was a definite trend to block the social development of certain sections of society. At the end of the era, some factories' help-wanted signs stated, "Irish need not apply." It was a sad time. The good news is that I was blessed to be a YMCA brat growing up, and they were leaders in treating people as equals. I mixed with all factions and never saw any difference, so it was hard for me to buy into my family's ideas. My grandmother advised me that my Italian friends were not welcome at her house. At the YMCA, our director, Jim Goodwin, was a leader in educating us on equality (in the 1950s). Jim was exceptional and well before his time. His daughter tells me he spent time reaching out to the JCC (Jewish Community Center) and scheduling joint events. My senior year of high school was at Huntington Prep in downtown Boston. It was my first exposure to a truly diverse community of mixed nationality and race. It was confusing because they were great guys, and my family had a true WASPish background. We studied together, trained together, and were fond of each other. We all shared a common goal: to get into a good college. My story has a point. Somehow, I was blessed by being exposed to worldly people and was blind to the differences. My friends were varied. The moral is clear: love your neighbor and do not be afraid to show it. Thought for Today: Today, we will interact with people of all kinds, recognizing them as equals and embracing the blessings of our differences. Love them all unconditionally. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, somehow, America, home of the free, still harbors prejudices within our society. Today, we pray that we can learn to accept others as St. Paul suggested. Amen

Mile Markers!

Mile Markers "Teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 40 vs. 12) Each day of our life is a present and special in some way. Each has a memory, some fade, but the great ones stay forever. We often catalog them, and many hide in our subconscious. Numbering our days is an excellent thought. The major ones do not take rocket science to remember. I am an elder and remember where I was for Pearl Harbor (27 months old), JFK's assassination, the twin tower assault, and Ted Williams' last at-bat (a home run at age 41). The unconscious ones are often more fun when brought to the forefront. Recently, an old friend from 1955 and I reconnected and reviewed our memories together, sharing high school football experiences, school days, former teachers, and cheerleaders. He brought back so many memories that he called me one evening while online. We talked for two hours. The Lord has been good to us. We are not wealthy but rich in memories, full of love, happiness, and wisdom. The numbering of our days has paid off in a worthy life. It will also work for you. Thought for Today: Today, we will create a memory. Whether it is a major or minor event remains to be seen. Either way, let us recognize its contribution to who we will be. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we thank you for all the great memories and blessings you have given us. Today, we pray that we serve your will here on earth as we go through our day. Amen

Independence Day

Independence makes America great, and our many freedoms make this a great place to live. Our constitution relies on our ability to self-govern. Below is a quote from Abraham Lincoln about our system. “This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it.” Pray for the future of America. Thought for Today: Today, let’s celebrate our independence by obeying the Lord’s commandments. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, our country celebrates its independence. Our freedoms are based on your laws and our abilities to obey them. Today we pray for spiritual growth, honesty, integrity, and ethics. Amen