During the summer I spent most of my time at home. This is the first summer of my retirement as a teacher. After twenty four years of teaching the ending of the summer does not mean the start of going back to school.
It's a strange feeling. During this time at home I find that my home is usually full of either my son's friends who are going into high school this fall or my daughter's college friends.
All of these kids just seem to gravitate towards our home. They come, they sleep, they eat and hang out and watch tv. We have developed a relationship of familiarity. Christ draws us in and tells us of his way in his word when we knock on the door of his heart and open his word.
In Revelations 3:20 Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
The key to all these relationships is the words "hears and Listens." When my children's friends come over they know that our home is a place where they will feel comfortable, they have no fear of knocking on the door of our home and knowing we will say come in.
This is the relationship that God desires to have with all of His children. I want to be available to hear and welcome both the physical presence of others and be their source of comfort, but I also want to be close to the door so that I can hear the spiritual knock of Christ.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
For Some Purple Hair is Normal
For the last several weeks I have been helping my girlfriend and her husband with the little details needed to open up their bakery. They have been open now for about a month. During the time that they were closed and relocating to a new location they had many of their regular customers stopping by and asking them when they were going to reopen.
As I spent time with my friend assisting her I had the opportunity to meet many of the "regulars." Today I had the opportunity to meet an intriguing woman with purple hair. Upon first observation I thought her unusual choice of hair color to be for a lack of a better word slightly corky.
After spending a few minutes engaged in a lighthearted conversation with her I discovered an individual with an
endearing, humorous personality who was a delight to talk to. I thoroughly enjoyed the time that I spent talking with her.
On first observation her purple hair raised several puzzling questions in my mine. After spending time engaged in such a pleasant conversation God gently taped me on the shoulder and reminded me of His words in John 7:24, "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement."
Whenever there is a command written by Christ it is imperative to heed His word. Because I want to glorify Him I realized that I needed to ask for forgiveness and see beyond exterior appearances and look inward and see what Christ sees when he looks at us.
He looks beyond our "purple hair" and sees his child. A child who is full of "corkiness" and sin. He embraces and excepts us while we come to know him better.
As I spent time with my friend assisting her I had the opportunity to meet many of the "regulars." Today I had the opportunity to meet an intriguing woman with purple hair. Upon first observation I thought her unusual choice of hair color to be for a lack of a better word slightly corky.
After spending a few minutes engaged in a lighthearted conversation with her I discovered an individual with an
endearing, humorous personality who was a delight to talk to. I thoroughly enjoyed the time that I spent talking with her.
On first observation her purple hair raised several puzzling questions in my mine. After spending time engaged in such a pleasant conversation God gently taped me on the shoulder and reminded me of His words in John 7:24, "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement."
Whenever there is a command written by Christ it is imperative to heed His word. Because I want to glorify Him I realized that I needed to ask for forgiveness and see beyond exterior appearances and look inward and see what Christ sees when he looks at us.
He looks beyond our "purple hair" and sees his child. A child who is full of "corkiness" and sin. He embraces and excepts us while we come to know him better.
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