As I reflect on the days that recently past, I wonder how history will look on the details. Will the radical changes that we believe have occurred in your life and mine be viewed the same then as we do today? Is the work I am starting today going to continue? Is life ever going to get better?
As much as I believe my life is different because of events in the past three weeks, I wonder what will fundamentally change. Will I learn and grow, or fall back into old patterns? Do the values that I think are important today remain? Is the way that I approach life changing for the better?
The fact is that “evil scheming distorts the schemer; peace-planning brings joy to the planner.” (Proverbs 12.20) My tendency to focus on my own needs and the realization of the ego within are not terribly comforting! As clear as the choice might be today, will I forget tomorrow? As valuable as I hold compassion, mercy, and love today; will ideology, pursuit of material things, or even basic survival become so paramount that I quickly toss my relationship with God and hold on to what I think is necessary to survive?
I would love to say with confidence that you and I will continue to pursue the values and priorities of life reflected by compassion, mercy, love, and grace. History for the uninformed might even look like a record that would support this view in my own life, but I know the truth. I see the pursuit of self realization at the expense of knowing who God is. I understand the important my own values have taken while God’s sat idly by. I sit in silence when I think of lost opportunities to share the very values I hold most precious.
You and I have an opportunity to write history. We can be God’s very hands, ears, and mouth to ourselves and those around us. We can write beautiful history. We can, but the choice starts today, now. God is there with our yes.
