A man is but of product of his thought, what he thinks he becomes. Gandhi
Last week one of our United Methodist bishops was speaking to a group of
Christian leaders, urging them to live and act like Jesus as they seek to
transform lives.
“What I laudable event,” I thought. And then from the on the surface
cynical self came: ”Bet these words were offered inside an air-conditioned
room right after a pleasant meal, and was met by choruses of “Amends, before
everyone disbanded for evening snacks.” Would these same words, offered in a
setting of physical want and hardship, have the same effect?
Often dynamic speakers challenge and inspire me to greater heights of
discipleship, yet those good seeds so quick to sprout in the warm and moist
environment of Christian fellowship wither away in the next day of “real
life.”
During a 5 day period this week, I spent, rather suffered more than three
and a half hours on telephone holds while being bounced around from
technician to technician ranging from the Philippines, Canada, India to
Greensboro, N. C. as they attempted to troubleshoot our
cable/telephone/internet service.
Disappointed with my demeanor after the services were finally restored, I
asked myself “How was St. Paul able to keep his focus in the middle of
spiritual confusion, physical affliction and jail time, when I cannot even
make it for a few hours while on hold?“
The journey towards perfection and “having the mind of Christ” is rife with
roadblocks, dead ends, potholes and ambushes such as the one I experienced
this week.
Yesterday, I found comfort in the prayer of Trappist monk Thomas Merton who
often struggled and traveled down a similar road and who wrote great books
on his journey.
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of
me, and I cannot know for certain where it will end, nor do I really know
myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean
that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I
hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do
anything apart from that desire, and I know that if I do this, you will lead
me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust in you always, though I may seem to be lost and in
the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will
never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.
