There is an old and beautiful tale of a rabbi’s child who was inclined to wander in the forest. Over time, the father became concerned and asked the boy why each day he ventured into the dangerous woods.
The boy answered his dad saying, “I go there to find God.”
“Well, of course, that’s a fine thing,” the rabbi reassured his son. “But, don’t you know that God is the same everywhere?”
“Yes,” said the boy, “but I’m not.”
This story reminds us that our searching and experience of God changes as we find ourselves in various places – spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The important thing to remember is that while God is immutable, we change. We are continually changing through this shared journey called life. It also reminds me that I can choose to be a different person today (and tomorrow) than yesterday. It seems important to me, then, that we are supremely honest with ourselves as we determine the values that we choose to guide our life. Rev. Dr. Maurice Boyd, one of the great preachers of the 20th century, once invited his congregation to consider the following “realities” when developing a credo for life. These realities are too good not to share. Enjoy.
If what you are after is first and foremost power, you’d better forget about love.
If you insist in putting yourself at the center, you’d better get ready for a life of loneliness.
If you are a gossip, don’t be expecting confidences.
If you view life as essentially a quantitative proposition, you’d better keep your averages up.
If you think life is a race won by the swift, you dare never slow down.
If you think the fight goes to the strong, you’d better never relax.
If you love life in the fast lane, don’t even think of setting your heart on anything that takes time.
If what you are seeking is security, then you’d better forget about genuine ecstasy because you can’t have both.
If you honestly believe that life is a rat race, don’t be surprised if you don’t find any dignity in it.
If you’re primarily interested in justice and not in mercy, you’d better never make any mistakes.
If you are ruthless on the way up, don’t be looking for tenderness on the way down.
Glad to be your pastor… DON
The boy answered his dad saying, “I go there to find God.”
“Well, of course, that’s a fine thing,” the rabbi reassured his son. “But, don’t you know that God is the same everywhere?”
“Yes,” said the boy, “but I’m not.”
This story reminds us that our searching and experience of God changes as we find ourselves in various places – spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The important thing to remember is that while God is immutable, we change. We are continually changing through this shared journey called life. It also reminds me that I can choose to be a different person today (and tomorrow) than yesterday. It seems important to me, then, that we are supremely honest with ourselves as we determine the values that we choose to guide our life. Rev. Dr. Maurice Boyd, one of the great preachers of the 20th century, once invited his congregation to consider the following “realities” when developing a credo for life. These realities are too good not to share. Enjoy.
If what you are after is first and foremost power, you’d better forget about love.
If you insist in putting yourself at the center, you’d better get ready for a life of loneliness.
If you are a gossip, don’t be expecting confidences.
If you view life as essentially a quantitative proposition, you’d better keep your averages up.
If you think life is a race won by the swift, you dare never slow down.
If you think the fight goes to the strong, you’d better never relax.
If you love life in the fast lane, don’t even think of setting your heart on anything that takes time.
If what you are seeking is security, then you’d better forget about genuine ecstasy because you can’t have both.
If you honestly believe that life is a rat race, don’t be surprised if you don’t find any dignity in it.
If you’re primarily interested in justice and not in mercy, you’d better never make any mistakes.
If you are ruthless on the way up, don’t be looking for tenderness on the way down.
Glad to be your pastor… DON
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