Today’s Readings: Psalm 105; Exodus 10:21-11:8; Luke 11:27-36; Romans 11:7-12
Much of my childhood was spent living my life just like all the other kids my age. I spent a lot of time playing sports (football, baseball & tennis), making music (on the saxophone and piano), and hanging out with my friends. There was at least one way in which I spent my time that set me apart from the other kids. I was comfortable hanging out with folks who were a lot older than I was. My time with older folks gave me an interesting insight into the aging process. You see lots of kids I hung around with at the time assumed that everyone automatically got crankier and more cantankerous as they aged. Through my friendships with older folks, however, I learned this wasn’t true. What I did learn about the aging process is that is often serves as a magnifier of personality traits: folks who were kind and generous when they were young often became even more kind and generous as they got older while folks who were bitter and angry when they were young often became even more bitter and angry as they aged. Jesus certainly understood the importance of one’s perspective on life. In today’s reading from Luke he noted, “If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky” (Luke 11:34-35 from The Message). My question for you to consider today is this: how do you live your life? Do you live your life “wide-eyed in wonder and belief” as you enjoy a life brimming with love and light, or do you live your life “squinty-eyed in greed and distrust”? As you wrestle with that question, it’s important to realize that your answer to the question won’t just influence your quality of life today – it will shape your experience of your days to come as well. Til next time…
Much of my childhood was spent living my life just like all the other kids my age. I spent a lot of time playing sports (football, baseball & tennis), making music (on the saxophone and piano), and hanging out with my friends. There was at least one way in which I spent my time that set me apart from the other kids. I was comfortable hanging out with folks who were a lot older than I was. My time with older folks gave me an interesting insight into the aging process. You see lots of kids I hung around with at the time assumed that everyone automatically got crankier and more cantankerous as they aged. Through my friendships with older folks, however, I learned this wasn’t true. What I did learn about the aging process is that is often serves as a magnifier of personality traits: folks who were kind and generous when they were young often became even more kind and generous as they got older while folks who were bitter and angry when they were young often became even more bitter and angry as they aged. Jesus certainly understood the importance of one’s perspective on life. In today’s reading from Luke he noted, “If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky” (Luke 11:34-35 from The Message). My question for you to consider today is this: how do you live your life? Do you live your life “wide-eyed in wonder and belief” as you enjoy a life brimming with love and light, or do you live your life “squinty-eyed in greed and distrust”? As you wrestle with that question, it’s important to realize that your answer to the question won’t just influence your quality of life today – it will shape your experience of your days to come as well. Til next time…
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