Influence, with grace

Today I was reminded of the old parable of the blind men and the elephant. As the story goes, some blind men came upon an elephant, a creature they had never before encountered. Each began to describe the elephant from his own point of "view" -- what he felt and experienced. 

The man by the trunk said that an elephant must be like a snake. The man feeling its broad side said that it surely is more like a wall. The third man touched the tusk and thought it seemed like some sort of horn, instrument, or tool. Each thought the others were way off base in their thinking...

In reality, all had a piece of truth, but all were wrong, because no one had the whole truth.

That reminds me of today's world. Some feel very strongly one way and try to share so that everyone can understand. Others feel just as strongly another way, and emotions can run strong. Just as in the story, each of us is a bit right, and a bit wrong. Each of us could learn something from the others.

Collectively we can all contribute, if we share our influence with grace, if we leave room to learn more. But only God sees the BIG picture of how this whole season will shake out and what the answer is to move us forward. 

Lord, I pray we would humble ourselves and look to you for direction, strength, and perseverance. Your thoughts and your ways are so high above ours. I believe you have a plan to bring good out of this. Would you enable us to treat others with kindness and grace? Would you help us to seek your wisdom, to trust your timing, and be open to what you want to teach us?

[Picture is Blind Men Appraising an Elephant by Ohara Donshu, 19th century, public domain as seen in Brooklyn Museum.]

More and less

On the last day of just about every vacation, I ask myself: “What do I need to do more of and what do I need to do less of when I go home?”

It’s a running conversation. Some ideas have been there awhile and are still being worked on. Some are new, influenced by the location, culture, or my travel buddies. I sift and refine a list in my mind each time. This time I have written them down:

I need to do more beach vacations. The sun melts through the fog and the cool breezes blow through my mind to relieve me from the same old thinking. The powerful crashing waves cleanse my soul from the responsibilities and the hurts I have been carrying. The sandy shore sculpted by the rhythm of the waves reminds me how God is shaping me. The myriad shells and diversity of tiny creatures reveal God’s abundant life and individual provisions.

Watching the waves roll in and the sun glistening on the surface brought my distracted thoughts into better perspective. I have been in a productive mode so long, and I know there is more to life than productivity. I sense the Spirit telling me to allow more space for His influence, without planning every minute. In this stage of my life, I can change gears; I am privileged to be free for more of where He leads me…and the possibilities are endless when I am willing. I can spread my wings, open my mind, and pray in new ways for those I care about.

Every good vacation adds new colors to my palette so I can think and create again in a wider spectrum. My confidence and boldness grow as I ponder the ways I can trust God more. I remember the multitude of times He has proven Himself trustworthy throughout many life experiences. I am so very grateful.

I can trust more, worry less; be grateful more, grumble less; be humble more, judge less; speak up more, hold back less.

Joy floods in as I am free to laugh more, and to be less self-conscious. Oh, how great it feels to relax, to let my hair down (“beach hair, don’t care”), to enjoy the little things and hope for big things. It’s freeing to let go of the responsibility of having all the answers, while continuing the quest of pondering important life questions. I’m thankful for lifelong learning and many things yet to explore.

This past week was an exhilarating freedom from a year of careful living in pandemic. I learned it is okay to splurge occasionally, to wear and use my favorite things, not just save them for a special occasion, but to make those special occasions.

I loved that we woke every muscle in our bodies through a variety of exercise: biking, kayaking, aqua stretching, yoga, beach walking, and aerobics. My body still loves to be challenged and my brain still loves to learn.

I am refreshed, thankful, grateful, blessed, yielded, open, and willing.

Where my help comes from

I know where my help comes from… I can call on His mighty name and the powerful presence of God.

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He knows every sparrow that falls, He spoke every creature into existence. He knows every stream that flows and every one that is currently frozen. 

He counts the grains of sand on the beach, the drops in a waterfall, and the hairs on our heads. He knows the recipe for seasons, the composition of clouds, the colors in prisms, the language of owls, and the purpose for mosquitos.

He authored all, with purpose. He created every heart, knows how to open them, and has the power to close them. He authored every emotion, knows just how to awaken them, ignite them, and calm them.

He knows every word in every book ever written and every one that will ever be written, every note ever sung and ever to be sung. He knows our potential and every event that will ever come to be. He knows every hidden secret, every problem, and every solution.

Nothing is more powerful than God. He reigns over every government, every ruler, every dominion, and principality. He reigns over every germ and virus and mutation. He is sovereign over every measure of time and all that unfolds within those increments.

He controls every substance, atom, and molecule in existence, every serum, every medicinal herb, every possible chemical combination. He has the power to write our future and heal our past…

Yet, here in the present, we can practice His presence. The God of the universe invites us to abide in Him, to rest, to dwell, to remain in Him. He is our refuge and strength. He draws us with cords of loving kindness, rescues us, sets our feet upon a rock, removes our sins as far as the east is from the west, washes us white as snow, promises to never leave us or forsake us, and encourages us to know how wide and high and long and deep His love is for us.

Why would we look anywhere else for the answers to the complicated questions of the world?

Why wouldn’t we do everything possible to open our hands, our hearts, our minds to Him and welcome Him into every area of our lives? He is our hope. He is our help. He is our comfort. He walks with us through everything we face, and He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. Thank you, God!