You can see the burdens dragging them down; people who faced the tough battles of yesterday in life yet still walk on. I see single parents with kids enjoying life and watch amazed. Veterans carrying the legacies of wars nobody wants to remember, greeting people around them with a smile on their face. Loggers who still deal alone with decisions of corporate types who ignore reasonable safety precautions. Young married couples struggling to make ends meet in locations with limited or no job opportunities. Everyone appears to be struggling with their own luggage as well as that of those around them.
In the midst of the pain and heartache, certain people stand out in bold contrast. It is as if another person is carrying their luggage for them without charge! They are bright, cheery, and full of hope. Nothing seems to get in their way. Pain and trouble seem to be a catalyst for even more hope and cheer. It is baffling at times, the reality of their lives would overwhelm you or I on our best days; I cannot imagine what the bad ones would be like.
The list goes on and on; hearts that do not function at normal levels in a young person who cares for even younger kids. I see lungs that are aging way before their time with no cure in sight. I find physical injuries that would debilitate even the strongest athlete dealt with grace and cheer. I find people living on cents a day giving what little they have to people who are in need. I listen to those with little or no reason for hope express their confidence in the days to come. Everyone seems to have a story to tell.
As I talk with them, I find that they share two common themes. First, they acknowledge that “the road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you’re lost for good.” (Proverbs 10.17) The second reason is even more basic; they have discovered a God that loves unconditionally, who never seeks revenge. The combination is magical!
