November 08, 2007
Destination
On my way to an appointment one morning I got behind a slow moving white mini van that eventually pulled over and stopped in front of an apartment complex. A few moments later when I stopped at a stop sign an impatient Chevy Blazer roared around me and took a right turn speeding down a different road. I continued on and came up behind a pick-up truck with a camper shell, which I then passed. Although using alternate roads, the Blazer and I hit Starbuck’s parking lot at the same time. Getting out of our vehicles the young red headed diver said, “If I’d known you were coming here I’d have followed you.” We walked toward the coffee house as the white mini van, along with the passenger she picked up, drove in. Looking over my shoulder as I opened the door, I saw the little pick-up pulling into the parking lot. We all had the same destination…just a different pace. Sort of reminds me of becoming a Christian.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----Even though you all took different routes or speeds, and one of you even stopped along the way, it became completely apparent that you were all unified. It is unfortunate that we Christians have to give unity such a narrow definition. Some think their denomination will be the most welcomed in that Great Day. Some think what they are doing for the Lord is the most important. Some think that everyone else should think like they do, otherwise they are not exactly Christian. It is a mindset that has been in the church since the church has been.
-----My friends in High School used to complain about me being wishy-washy. My family members did too. I guess I was. But I think it came from my ambition to always try to find a way to see my neighbor as valid, and to try to understand his ideas the way he understood them. Of course, I never accepted as right what could be known to be wrong, for there are limits to how far an idea can be from right without being totally wrong. And coming to understand that no one is actually right in all their thinking led me to believe that being exactly right is not the point, but getting home is. So I learned that it doesn’t hurt to try out different ideas, within the tolerable limits, and discover the logic behind them, too.
-----What does hurt is hurting the people you are with. Forcing ideas upon them, demanding they do things your way, insisting your group is better than theirs or that God is going to accept yours and reject theirs is all kind of a blasphemy. As long as we are all wrong somewhat, whom God accepts and with whom He is happy is His business. We do not decide for Him. Our business is doing what we know how to do and recognizing others who are doing what they know, and leaving them alone to do it. Because like you illustrated so well, those that are on the way to the Starbuck’s may be taking a variety of roads at all different speeds, but they will all walk through the same door in the end.
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