March 13, 2019

Be Jesus Where You Can

What is wrong cannot be made right.

What is missing cannot be recovered.

-- Ecclesiastes 1:15 (NLT)

We’re accustomed to storms here in Alabama. They brew up, sometimes quickly, and strike at random against those who are unfortunate enough to be in their path.

It was just another day. Storms stirred up. Meteorologists sounded the alarm, again and again and again. Sirens and weather radios and alerts. The air was filled with sound as the winds picked up. The tornado made its entrance, ripping apart homes and businesses and anything else in its path. An E-4 the weather service would say later. Twenty-three people died. Numerous others injured. People racked with sorrow and shock, clinging to what was no longer there.

Their lives will never be the same. And it isn’t only because of those who died. It isn’t because of the things that are gone. It’s because they have known great fear and seen firsthand the futility of building a life on what can vanish in an instant.

We store up for ourselves treasures. We focus and judge and pretend we understand life. Really? We don’t have a clue.

Love God and love people. Don’t wait for a better day or more time. Do good where you can. Stop trying to figure out if someone is worthy or not. Simple love them and do what you can. Show kindness and compassion. Lend a helping hand. Be generous. Life is short. And fleeting. Look into your heart and live with it open wide. Be Jesus where you can.

January 2, 2019

Change

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

I have become a word person. It was something I never intended. I simply wasn’t one of those people who chose a word each year. Life isn’t that predictable. How could it possibly be that I would choose a word in January and have it still be relevant in December?

Well, the short answer is that God has a way of leading us on the path of His choosing. That’s how I became a word person

This year’s word is change. I didn’t pick it out. I’m not someone who does change easily. While I certainly like to sometimes try new things and visit new places, I like my routine. What about you? Do you like change or do you prefer a predictable life?

I’ve come to understand that my resistance to change comes from a place of sorrow. Have you ever lost someone suddenly? I have. Have you ever been completely betrayed by someone you trusted? I have. Have you ever had your world destroyed by sudden health issues? I have. So while I recognize that some change can be good and wonderful, I also know firsthand that change can sometimes bring a broken heart and shattered soul.

My first response to God’s word for me was fear. It was that “oh no!” heart-pounding response from someone who has had way too much change in recent years. I’m fine where I am, as I am. And, yet, God has called me to more.

He is teaching me that all change isn’t bad. Some change redirects my path back to where it should have been all along. Some change restores what was lost. Some change forces me to grow, to trust, to open myself up to new challenges and opportunities.

I know I’m not alone in my doubts. As I speak to people, I hear again and again of their desire for comfort and stability. We like our vacations and new restaurants and shopping for new and better things. But we don’t want to risk too much. We don’t want to feel the earth shifting beneath our feet. We’d rather retain some sense of control, though that is cause for laughter. We are never, ever really in control.

Still, God is God and I trust Him. It is not a trust born of schoolgirl promises and declarations of faith. It has nothing to do with baptismal waters and years in church. It is a deep trust for the One who carried me when I was too broken and weak to take even one more step. It is in the valley where the roots of true faith sink deep in the unwavering promises of our Creator.

I’ve found there’s a huge difference between those of us who have endured deep grief and those who have been blessed with an easier road. Grief doesn’t always come from death. It can be triggered by so many things. But it does change each person who encounters it. Though we may reach the other side, we are never the same.

This year my word is change. I am afraid of it. But I trust God more than I fear what the year might bring. There is a time for everything. Apparently, this is my time for change.

November 4, 2018

Everyone Needs Someone

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

– Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

We need each other. All of us need someone to call, someone to depend on, someone to carry them when the load seems unbearable.

Those who gather together aren’t always related by blood or marriage. Some of the strongest bonds come when a choice is made. There is a value, a determination, that makes us fight for the people who mean so much to us.

It’s not always easy to open up to others. We live in a fake world, where everyone pretends to be okay, to be successful, to be happy. We expect it of others. We expect it of ourselves.

But we all need people who see the bad, the insecure, the faults, and love us anyway. And we need to do the same with them. Because none of us are perfect and that is what makes us need others.

We’re more willing to share our successes though, aren’t we? We aren’t so willing to share our failures, our faults, our sins. But it is in those vulnerable moments that we become real to others. It is at those times when others, seeing us as we really are, allow themselves to become real with us.

Here’s the thing: No one sins in isolation. We want to think that our choices don’t impact others but they do. One lie begets another lie and on and on it goes until no one knows the truth from fiction. Everyone around it is impacted. And for what reason? Because one person didn’t want to tell the truth.

Or what about the person who spends uncontrollably. It’s their money so what’s the problem? Or they go out for a drink or two after work? Or they spend every night glued to the television? They are all choices that impact their families, their budgets, their jobs.

And where does church come in to all of this? Is church an option? Is faith a choice? Is God just the One we call on when we want or need something? It’s your choice but it impacts everyone you care about. It impacts you.

We need a church family. We need prayer warriors for the hard days. We need cheerleaders for the joys. We need each other. We need forever people who understand life is a journey toward home.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, make it a priority to surround yourself with people who truly know you. Let yourself be loved and love others. Really. Truly. One real, vulnerable person to another.

March 19, 2018

It Takes A Community

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him – a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

– Ecclesiastes 4:12

The small white calf stood on the wrong side of the barbed wire fence. I quickly pressed the brakes and turned around, heading back toward the disaster-waiting-to-happen. No one needed a wreck caused by a wayward calf in the road.

Another woman had already pulled over. She was a city-girl who’d somehow found herself living in a nearby country town. She liked cows. She just didn’t know anything about them. That was obvious when she explained that she’d tried to pet the calf but he ran from her. Newsflash: This calf was not an escapee from the petting zoo.

I decided I might need to hang around. My cousin had already called the owner (Who is married to another cousin. It’s a small-town thing.) I realized it would take him at least 30 minutes to arrive. I settled in to talk to my new “friend.”

The little calf decided the grass might be greener on the other side of the road. The woman and I quickly sprang into action, stopping traffic in both directions and herding the calf around a bend and away from the road. Another couple pulled off the highway and hurried to help.

We managed to corner the calf just as Mama Cow arrived. My new friend wanted no part of Mama Cow and backed off. With the couple’s help, we “encouraged” the calf to go back under the fence and to safety. Disaster averted.

It took all of us to make it happen. Have you ever attempted to force a wayward calf to go where you want him to? I have. It’s something only America’s Funniest Home Videos would enjoy. But with the help of others, we were able to herd the calf to safety.

That’s how life is. Some things are just hard or impossible when we’re struggling to get through them on our own. We need help. We need someone who understands. We need to know that we aren’t alone.

A dear friend talks about getting devastating news about her son. He’d done something awful and was sitting in a jail cell. Her heart was shattered. A friend came to her house and refused to leave. The friend sat with her, silently, as time passed slowly by. No words could alleviate her pain but the support of someone just being there helped her get through that time of shock and heartbreak.

Another friend talks about the stack of cards that she treasures. They are a visual reminder of the love and prayers that have surrounded her as she fights cancer. In these days when she can’t always safely be around others because of her weakened immune system, those cards tell her that she isn’t alone. She is loved. She is strengthened by the presence of others.

Friends take away our loneliness. They encourage us and advise us, laugh and cry with us. We were never meant to do life alone. It takes a community of believers to navigate this world and withstand the temptations and trials all around us. We are strengthened by the presence of others. We are blessed by community.

February 16, 2018

The Gift of Time

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Do you think if I paid her, she’d come to see us?” The question shocked me almost as much as the tears streaming down her face. She clutched a photo to her chest. Anguish lit her eyes.

What was I to say? The truth she didn’t want to hear or, well, the truth she didn’t want to hear?

I considered my words. “Probably,” I told her. “But you have to ask yourself that if you have to pay someone to come and see you, they probably aren’t worth the money.”

She nodded. “I know. I just miss her so much.”

My heart broke for her.

A sweet friend worked many years at a nursing home just over the state line. It wasn’t the illness and death that shredded her tender heart. Nor was it the loss of mental clarity by some residents that caused her anguish. No. It was the broken hearts of so many residents who longed for a call or visit from loved ones who never came.

But, she told me, just let that person come near death and the relatives would emerge, anguish spewing from their mouths. The thought of an inheritance would remind them of a love they hadn’t shown in years. Of course, if the crisis passed, they’d be gone again until the next time an emergency arose.

I’ve no doubt those scenarios play out in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and older homes everywhere. We have plenty of time for people so long as they are healthy and doing for us. They watch the children or take everyone out to eat. They are quick to pay for extras and always show up for sports, dance and recital events.

Then slowly they can’t do those things any longer. Their once abundant lives are fading and they find themselves alone for this last journey home. When do we get so busy that we can’t spend time with people who have loved us well?

Of course, it’s not always this way. One sweet woman lamented moving to be near her son and his family. She didn’t want to end up like her friends, alone in a new town. Her daughter-in-law is a jewel, something she shared with everyone. She made sure to include this woman in all the kids’ activities and brought those children by to see their grandmother several times each week. This elderly woman’s face lit with joy when she talked about how wonderful it was to be an active part of her son’s family.

No one expects to end up alone as their days on earth near the end. We think that surely those we have invested our time and money, our very hearts, into will be there. Surely, they love us as we have loved them? The answer will break your heart.

It’s not about us. Rick Warren wrote that many years ago. It’s still true. One day your busy life will fade away. All those important tasks that you think can’t wait will fall to someone else. You’ll be the one sitting alone waiting for someone to remember you with their precious gift of time.

Who do you need to call or visit today? Don’t wait. 

April 7, 2016

Choose Your Priorities

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

 -- Ecclesiastes 3:3-8

We all have the same amount of time. Twenty-four hours in a day. Seven days in a week. Twelve months in a year. So why is it some people seem to have so much more time than others?

Time management? Maybe it’s not so much about time management as it is about priorities.

There are certain things we must do each day. Eat. Sleep. Work. Tend to children or parents. There are tasks that pile up if we’re not careful, like laundry and dishes and yard work. We can keep really busy being busy with the tasks of life.

And, in the end, what does it all matter?

I’m not suggesting chunk it all aside for a life of nothing. We must take care of the basics. But what happens when the basics interfere with the life we are called to lead?

We’re back to priorities. What is truly important? To me, spending time with God each day is like the breath of life in my body. I need it. I need Him. I can’t understand how so many people don’t have “time” to talk with God, to study the Bible, to thank Him for so many blessings each day.

That starts things off with my priorities in order. What next? People. It takes seconds to be kind. Open a door. Share a smile. Say “thank you.” Or take a few minutes and call someone who is hurting. Visit someone who is lonely. Give the gift of yourself. You’re the one who will be rewarded.

We all have the same amount of time each day. Use it to further God’s kingdom through your words and actions. Let God, then people, be your priorities and you’ll make a difference for eternity.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Seasons Change For Better and Worse

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Some seasons of life just don’t go as we planned. Maybe something unexpected happens. Maybe something we expected to enjoy turns into something we dislike. Maybe something or someone we loved ends or goes away and we find ourselves wondering where to go from here.

Each of us journeys through different seasons of our lives. Sometimes it isn’t so much what happens around us that shapes our lives as it is what happens within us as we cope with change.

One woman I knew longed for a baby. She and her husband were blessed not only with a healthy child but with being financially able for her to stay how with her child. She looked forward to days of bliss as she cared for her baby.

Until she was faced with endless days of -- in her mind -- nothingness. She loved her baby but she missed the stimulation that comes from being around adults and talking about things not related to babies. She missed the variety of a life that includes other things. So much to her surprise, she went back to work.

Critics were everywhere. Some working mothers couldn’t believe that someone who actually had a choice would choose work over staying at home. Others couldn’t understand how a mother would “abandon” her baby to daycare if she didn’t absolutely have to do so. Some went so far as to question her faith, as if God was telling her to stay home and Satan was telling her to go to work.

I won’t comment on her decision other than to ask a question: was her baby better off with a happy mother who delighted in time with her child or with a mother who was unhappy and resented the changes her baby had brought to her life? Decisions aren’t always easy and what God calls one person to do isn’t necessarily what He tells someone else to do.

Other changes aren’t choices. Some seasons are brought by nightmares, like the death of a child or spouse, like sudden unemployment or illness. We wake up one day only to find our entire life has shifted. We had no say in it but now we’re left to weather the storm’s aftermath. We will either grow closer to God, depending on His strength to carry us, or we will get caught up in anger and blame and never move past this season.

The ebb and flow of life is rarely easy. Few people are always content, always happy, always satisfied with just where they are. Sometimes we revel in quiet solitude and days spent growing closer to God. And sometimes we struggle to hear His voice, to see His wisdom, to feel His Presence and goodness in lives gone bad.

But He is always there. Always faithful. Always available to help us and guide us and lead us on to another season of our lives. God is good but He never promised an easy journey. In fact, the Bible tells us again and again of hardship and trial. What God did promise is to be with us on this journey, no matter what happens. That is a promise we can cling to, no matter the season of our lives.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

True Friends Strengthen Us

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. -- Ecclesiastes 4:10

Blessed is the person -- and I am one -- who have real, true friends when life is troubling and unkind. We all know many people but friends, well, that’s a different thing.

Friends listen without end and take your side when you’re under attack. They understand your hurt and pain, your troubles, and your joys. They give hugs, say prayers and join in your laughter.

True friends are trustworthy. You don’t have to worry that what you say will be repeated. That lets you be vulnerable and real. Children of God coming together to help and support one another.

I am blessed to have friends like these. And I am blessed to be part of a small group of women who have come together to know God better and to love and support one another. We didn’t plan it that way. Our intent was Bible study. Our result has been a safe place of sharing and laughter and friendship.

I have to believe that’s what God intended. I look at Jesus and His friends Mary and Martha and Lazarus. I think of David and Jonathan. We all need friends to walk by our sides on this life journey.

Some say that we only really have one or two true friends in our lives at any given time. That could be true. But I also believe that we can widen that circle, depending on where we are in our lives. We can participate in small, safe groups. We can have people who support us, and whom we support, in different areas of our lives.

For example, I have a dear friend who is struggling with mama issues. No. Not that kind. Her widowed mother is in failing health. She has two sisters to help but it’s still hard. She’s never done anything right in her mama’s eyes and time hasn’t eased that pain. In some ways it’s worse now, because of her mama’s health.

I can talk to her. I can listen. We understand each other because I, too, am dealing with elderly parents who are critical and in failing health. So we share and, in turn, support one another. Our bond of friendship gives each of us strength to face situations and days that seem so difficult at times.

I can’t imagine trying to face life without friends to laugh and cry with along the way. I value my friends so much. I pray that each of you has friends to walk with you and strengthen you, to understand and love you. It’s what God wants for each of us.

Monday, September 5, 2011

What Does Your Effort Reflect?

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.”

-- Ecclesiastes 2:24

A song currently playing on contemporary Christian radio stations talks about doing everything we do to the glory of the LORD. It doesn’t matter how mundane or small what we’re doing seems. What matters is that we’re doing it to the best of our ability and giving God the credit. How true that is.

We tend to see the work of foreign missionaries or preachers as being more important than the day to day tasks we do. Yet, it isn’t. We have the same opportunities to reach others as they do. The question is: Do we use those opportunities or do we let it go or hand it off to someone else?

Everything we do, because we are Christians, reflects back to God. Think about that for a moment. As a parent, your children’s actions reflect back on you. That can be good or bad. Sometimes it isn’t even fair. But that’s just the way it is.

So what are you reflecting back to God? Do you show up for work determined to do your job to the best of your ability and with a positive attitude? Or do you crumble and complain through your shift, refusing to do your best because you don’t like your boss or you don’t get paid enough or it’s not your responsibility to take on someone else’s duties? As Christians, we’re supposed to draw people toward Jesus but no one wants to be someone who complains and finds excuses to avoid a job well done.

What are you teaching your children by your actions each day? Do you curse and talk down about the coach of your son’s team? Do you complain about your daughter’s teacher? Do you badmouth your co-workers or your boss? Do you fail to speak up when the cashier forgets to charge you for an item? Kids are like sponges. You’re teaching them that bad language is okay. You’re telling them it’s okay to talk badly about people who don’t agree with you. You’re showing them that stealing is okay if it wasn’t intentional and you don’t get caught.

God expects us to work hard at everything we do, whether it’s a top management job, the laundry or being a role-model to the kids around us. He wants our best. In all things. At all times. So what are you doing to the glory of the LORD today? Would He be proud to call you His child? Are you doing a good job of reflecting Him out to the world?

Sunday, February 13, 2011

How You Finish Is What Matters

"The end of the matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride."

-- Ecclesiastes 7:8

So many times we think that we messed up somewhere along the way. We're not where we expected to be in life. We've made mistakes. We've failed at marriage or career or just life in general. Here we are and it truly is not where we ever expected to be.

This verse reminds us that we can still chart a different course. We can still live a different life. We can head toward a better tomorrow. It matters more how we end up than how we began. It matters more what our heart is today than what it was yesterday or all the days before.

Be patience with yourself. Let the past remain where it is. Learn from it, surely, but don't continue to dwell on what you cannot change. Look forward and head toward the light. Re-evaluate your priorities. Spend time with God. Reach out and embrace the people around you, especially those you might not normally relate to,

Your life isn't over while you still live. What matters is how you finish. And that you do day by day, doing good where you can. Living the life you always planned to live, step by step, with a thankful heart and a grateful smile. Who knows? Maybe you're exactly where you're supposed to be.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Choose God

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

If you're like most folks, you lead a very busy life. There's work and school, kids and parents, homework and housework and a spouse who needs time. We've got televisions and cell phones, Ipods and facebook, all in an effort to keep us entertained, informed and connected to the world. It's all so exhausting.

How much time out of that very busy day do you spend with God? It's almost comical. Here come the excuses. Something, or someone, always gets shoved ahead of God. Yeah, I get that a newborn baby has needs that won't wait. And work is something you gotta do if you're keep a roof over your head. But -- news flash -- if you've got time to watch TV or go to the mall, you've got plenty of time to spend with God.

It all comes down to priorities. A television show or an hour with God? An online chat with a friend or reading the Bible? One woman explained that she needed to drop out of a Bible study because she simply didn't have the time. Why? This stay-at-home grandmother found she was so busy running errands and doing daily chores that she couldn't spare an hour a week for a Bible study. How sad is that?

What if God treated us the way we treat Him? How would we feel if He was too busy to listen when we had a problem? How would we react if He couldn't be bothered when we were sick or grieving or alone? He would never leave us, of course. And He always has time for us. Doesn't that make you feel the least bit guilty when you don't make time for Him?

Everything good comes from God. He created us. He loves us more than we can ever imagine. How can we not choose to spend time with Him each day? It all starts with a choice. Your choice. Today. Choose God. You'll be glad you did.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Make Time For Family

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:" -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

Time. It's one of those things we never seem to have enough of. Our days, and even our nights, are scheduled to the max. Everything is rush, rush, rush. It seems there's no time to just laugh and enjoy the people around us.

Our family gathered to celebrate my Dad's 81st birthday. My cousins and I shared stories of the family gatherings of our childhoods. We played together and celebrated birthdays and holidays together. We grew up knowing and loving one another.

The same isn't true for the younger generation. They don't know one another and the fault lies squarely with those of us in the older generation. Time. We never seem to have time to get together, to eat and laugh and play games. We never seeem to just sit down and visit and share parts of our lives with one another. Yet, what is more important than time spent with people you love?

My Dad's sister was almost one year younger than he. Eight days separated the siblings. Their younger brothers came 13 and 15 years later. Aunt Verlon died from cancer back in 1994. Uncle Gene, whose laughter echoed through our family gatherings, followed three years later. My cousins, all busy with their families, became orphans. The family was never the same. It was Aunt Verlon who brought us all together.

My own parents are growing older and their health is starting to fade. I know God has blessed me in having them this long and in such good physical shape. It doesn't make this transition any easier. One cousin said she didn't know which was harder: loosing them too early or having to watch them waste away from age. Both are heartbreaking in their own way.

We have time for the things we value. We schedule sports events, hair appointments, shopping trips. Why don't we schedule time with family? Why do we wait for someone else to step up and bring the family together? Why do we take for granted the people we value the most?

There is a time for everything. The Bible says so. We have time for each other. We just have to reach out and grab it.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Trust God

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."

-- Ecclesiastes 5:10

I have grown really tired of all the money talks at church. I don't want to hear another story about how tithing leads to good things. I know it's true. I'm living it now. I'm just tired of hearing about it. Let's move on.

I know times are tough. It's been a rough couple of years. Churches, like everyone else, are hurting financially. When individual incomes fall, so do the church coffers. I'm not insensitive to that. It's just that repeated pleading doesn't make people feel warm and fuzzy and eager to give. It just makes them want to stay home -- like I did on Sunday.

Years ago I heard a pastor talk about money. He said he didn't worry about money. He also acknowledged that it upset a number of people in the church. This pastor said that the only thing he was concerned with was knowing God's will. The reason? Because if God calls us to do something, He'll make sure we have the money to do it.

It was such a simple explanation and resolved so many things in my mind about money. See, I've always had money issues. I equate money with acceptance. I want to earn lots of money. It never made me happy but at least I thought I was in control. I wasn't. It never stopped the sadness. And I was never, ever in control of anything.

I've come to understand that worrying about money means that I'm not trusting God to take care of me. I think I've got to handle it. It's a control issue. It's like I need to be in control. I know it's silly. I'm not in control. God is. Always. Any control I think I have is just an illusion.

So it bothers me when I hear a church talking about money Sunday after Sunday. I want to stand up and shout at the leaders to pray instead. To seek God's will and trust Him to handle things. God really does know what He's doing. He knows what we need. And He has a plan. He'll give us the money to do His will. Trust Him. He won't let you down.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Stop The Madness

"And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

-- Ecclesiastes 4:4

Okay. Could we get this put on a billboard somewhere where everyone could see this every day? Preferably when we're all rushing to do all the busy stuff that takes over our lives and keeps us from enjoying time with friends and family.

Why do we always think we've got to have a newer car, a bigger house, an expensive vacation? When did we get to the point where we think more stuff somehow makes us better people? Why do we measure success by the things we own rather than the character that lives inside us?

We want to be like other people. Or, more accurately, we want to be a little better than other people. If our neighbor, friend or family member gets a new car, we want one too. Except we want one just a little nicer, a little more expensive. Same with a house, a new outfit, an evening out. We want to not only stay up with the folks around us, but surpass them, at least just a little. It's a lose-lose situation because they're doing the same thing. It never stops.

At least, it never stops without something awful happening. A workaholic looses his family. A spendaholic ends up bankrupt. A heart attack sends a wake-up call. On and on. God lets something happen to get our attention, to focus our eyes back on Him. Exactly where we should have been focused all the time.

Stuff doesn't matter. I know. I've said it time and again. We aren't taking it with us, folks. Give until it hurts. Love without fear. Let others see Jesus in you. Don't wait for something awful to happen. Stop the madness. Now. Start a revolution. Let the world know you're a Christian by the way you live your life.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Listen For Wisdom

"Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man."

-- Ecclesiastes 9:15

Our society has its values all skewed. We esteem wealth, attractiveness, success. We look down on anything less. Oh, come on now. Yes, we do. Who wants to be poor but filled with wisdom? We might like the wisdom but we certainly don't want to be poor.

We don't even seem to really care how someone gets to be successful and wealthy. We turn a blind eye toward the road traveled and see only the end result. We justify the journey, convincing ourselves that nothing matters but the reward.

We don't see the strength that makes a person wise. We don't see the wisdom that comes from choosing the good of others over the good of self. We don't see that poverty isn't shame and that wisdom doesn't always come with riches.

I've been reading an awesome book, "Same King of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. It is the story of an upscale art dealer and a homeless drifter. It's simple truth reminds me that it is only by God's grace that any of us were born into our particular circumstances.

In the book, Moore asks Hall about the ten keys on his key ring. He asked if Hall owned something that went with each of them. Hall said yes. But Moore wanted to know if Hall truly owned the items or if the items owned him. Thought provoking, isn't it? Wisdom comes from places we'd never suspect, from people we'd never imagine.

We have so much to learn from those around us. Sometimes those who seem least likely to offer wisdom are the ones who have the most wisdom to offer if we only take time to listen.