Warning

Sometimes I am dumb, deaf, and blind.  I refuse to see what is in front of me.  I ignore the obvious, remain blind to the efforts of those around me to educate and inform, and blissfully walk on in ignorance.  I thought I was the only one.  The good and bad news is that there are others!  Sports heroes deny their lack of current performance.  They seem themselves in terms of yesterday and refuse to struggle with the realities of today.  If they were individual performers one might be willing to let the problem rest.  However their stubbornness reaches out and impacts everyone on the team!  Public pressure doesn’t seem to work.  Coaches acting in the best interest of the team are not able to get through the mental barrier which seems to grow higher by the day.  Everyone seems powerless. 
 
In this context I wonder how much evidence is needed.  Am I willing to go the extra mile in reaching out to nurture and support others?  Even more importantly; will I open myself up to hear, see, and feel what others are trying to tell me?  The process is never easy.  Every move is difficult, especially if it is close to my heart!  In order for things to work I have to be willing to give up the security which comes with erecting walls between others and my self.  Writing the words, even talking about them to others is relatively easy.  Taking the intent to heart, grabbling with the truth and what it means, and walking into a new future – ah, this is the difficulty stuff of life!
 
I sit with gifts others have freely and unconditionally given, again and again.  Today is an opportunity to do something with Divinity’s work in these gifts.  Jesus’ words tell of what could happen – “If I hadn't done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn't be to blame.  But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father.” (John 15.24)  Now is the time to love…and grow.