-I Don’t See

Not long ago it was warm and sunny out (today is a little colder and wet) so I decided to get out and run.  That Saturday and Sunday were especially nice and a lot of other people thought so as well.  People of all ages were out on Constitution Trail walking, biking, running, dog-walking, bird-watching and generally enjoying the great and beautiful outdoors.

Of course not everything I saw made me happy.  Twice I ran across two young girls (under 8 years old) on bikes who didn’t seem to have a parent or other adult anywhere nearby.  I thought this isn’t good.  This isn’t safe.  Where is a parent for goodness sake!?

Later on I was almost upon the unique camelback bridge when behind… and now next to me, came another girl on a bike zipping by.  I thought to myself again how dangerous this was on such a busy and public trail.  “Where is a parent?”  Seconds later, right behind the child was her mother busily keeping a few lengths distance between herself and her daughter.  Phew!  I felt better.

How quickly I was to judge someone.  How quickly we are to judge people in life that we know nothing about.  Our eyes and ears can deceive us if we let them.  Hear and see these words from the apostle Paul:

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.”  Eph 1:17-19 (NRSV)

So “see” with your heart throughout the week and not solely with your eyes and ears.  When you see with your heart the people around you will amaze you with their blessings.

-Rob

PS – BTW the mother and daughter turned out to be St. John’s Pr. Elyse and her daughter, Katherine.  ! (smile)