Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I think I’ve finally arrived at a place which regards my time and brief existence on this big blue ball more properly.

‘Course, I don’t relish the idea of being tested on it, I believe I could and would sacrifice my life for a friend or a worthy cause.

My turning point was much like dialing the finely tuned frequency on a radio channel I’ve listened to through static of the world much too long but is now gone.

I can see clearly now.

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.
John 15:18 NIV

In a kinder and gentler world, I might be a lot less sacrificially-minded, but recent events have shifted my perspective.

Attempts to silence my worldview have only made me more courageous and resilient.

As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
That is why the world hates you.
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be perfectly honest, I’ve never felt more chosen, esteemed, nor set apart from it than where I am right now.

I’m convinced that as our courage grows, this world will grow to hate us even more than it already does.

This world is not our home.

Home’s not where the hate is,

it’s where the heart is.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The big picture.

It’s easy to lose sight of it.

We are a myopic people whose vision is so nearsighted, focused so much on our immediate wants and indulgences of the day, that we often overlook our bigger purpose of why we’re actually here among another 8 billion souls.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What are you sowing? Where are you applying your gifts for the unique handiworks of God? On what do you waste your time, energy and resources for indulgences and selfish pursuits?

The bigger picture awaits your attention. And time is quickly passing.

Grasp it and your purpose in it. Focus your everything on it while we still have time.

My dad had been home in a hospice hospital bed for 17 days.

He hadn’t eaten in 4 and was weaker each day.

But even though he’d awaken for only 30 minutes a day, 5 minutes at a time, he still managed to make the family laugh.

When he asked mom if he was ever going to get better, she told him he just needs to go meet Jesus, to which he replied, “But I already know him.”

He passed two weeks later.

Though nobody laughed that October 2nd, he bequeathed us a giant sense of humor and we all still continue spending it like there’s no tomorrow.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As a psychotherapist for 15 years, I learned early on the difference between carrying the burdens of others and letting them carry their own loads (Gal 5)

Buildings have walls that carry some weight of the roof but aren’t critical to the task as are load-bearing walls, without which, the structure would collapse.

Likewise, helping someone through a crisis eases their burden when we help bear some of their weight but acknowledge the load-bearing is theirs alone to carry. 

People would ask me how I could hear such tragic stories in my therapy office all day and still sleep at night. 

This burdens vs loads analogy was key to maintaining my own mental health while still being a helper to my patients. 

If you find yourself all consumed when helping a friend through their troubles, knowing which of their weight-bearing walls are within your purview and capacity to carry and which are not might make all the difference for you to continue being an effective helper for someone who deserves a break. 

People are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have a zeal for them.

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Belief and faith central to Christianity, it comes as no surprise that strategies formed against us are to obscure truth, to plant seeds of doubt, and to take what is clearly evident and gaslight us to the contrary. 

It’s actually a brilliant strategy, for to sow such confusion then reinforce it through media channels, and authorities over us, their win is staged to convert what was once truth to a lie. 

“Conspiracy theories” and unanswered questions which might otherwise lead to rediscovery of those truths become self-refuting and ridiculous. 

To avoid such ridicule, the masses are lulled into consent to believe against what they’d once considered a much better judgment. 

Winning you over, alienating you, and converting your zeal away from Christ to another gospel is the dastardly insidious plan in action. 

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, the almighty Wizard of Oz has spoken!”

Hold fast to Truth revealed by the One who is truly the Almighty.

The fight for your confidence has only begun.

Don’t be the victim of:

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised

Romans 1:25

Each of us has that one teacher who showed us the valuable difference between just going to school and loving the idea of education itself.

That one who taught us excellence over mediocrity, passion over passivity and the fine art of learning how to learn for ourselves instead of regurgitating another someone’s thoughts and convictions.

One who soothed our painful rejections at the hands of bullies, listened after hours to our deepest revelations, and was in the front row of every event to cheer us on to victory.

One who after our school days were over when life learning was just beginning, kept in touch with us and sent invitations to their own family dinners as if you always belonged at their table and insisted you call them by their first name as awkward as it seemed.

Much older now with faded memories and my own eternity in sight by pure serendipity, mine came back into my life once again, and again I was that student thankful for so many differences she made in my life that she will never fully understand but for which she is fully responsible.

And now the most sincere words I can muster are thank you, Mrs. Nimmo. May God give you the rest you have earned. 

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Cultures throughout history all consist of the haves and the have nots.

The best measures of our humanity and civility are found in how we provide for needs of others who are truly unable to adequately provide for themselves. 

We are indeed our brother’s keepers (Gen 4) and the poor will always be with us (Matt 26.)

But poverty is no badge worn as an excuse for laziness. 

No matter the extent of their lack, the have nots are always able to contribute something in return if not for the common good then for their own sense of belonging to and in a caring community. (Luke 21)

Everyone needs to be remembered and acknowledged whether their contribution is enormous or just a speck in comparison.

Let’s not also forget that as the haves of this world, we should be “eager” in our quest to provide for the have nots, driven to find meaningful ways we can make a difference for them.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For most, keeping your nose clean, following the rules, and being a good, decent human being seems a solid path to whatever lies beyond this life.

Wouldn’t it be great if that’s all it took?

Gaining a righteousness just from observing the laws as the Jews did will get you pretty far in this life but not far enough for the next

That last step has long been a stumbling block but a necessary one for passage into eternal life.

No matter how much we try, nobody begins or ends up sinless.

Belief that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to die and resurrect for us as payment for our sinful selves is the final step over the threshold into the kingdom of God who is able to do anything but tolerate the presence of unrepented sin.

Be good and follow your rules, yes, but to understand that faith and belief in Jesus is the final chapter completing your story is a whole new revelation testified to by the entire New Testament.

Christ didn’t die for nothing.

In this race called life, you matter to God and were made by him to be a winner.

Am I trying to win the approval of human beings or God?

Am I trying to please people?

If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Going against the flow has its consequences.

But as with Paul, so does having a personal encounter with your creator.

That kind of revelation changes your purpose and direction and suddenly you no longer fit the mold nor destination of so many in this world.

My email address is dondida180@gmail.com.

I chose it many years ago to proclaim to others my own change of heart and direction.

Don did a 180.

The swim against the tide is exhausting but necessary when God miraculously changes the destination of your life and subsequently your soul.

I want to know I will someday, like so many others, hear those most pleasing words of all:

Well done my good and faithful servant.

Disappointing others along the way in this life is a small price to pay for an eternity.

The day will come when we check our morning calendars or draft an email and give little to no thought to the date in front of us or its historical significance.

Already, this newest generation has moved on to other critical issues and incidents which have formed their own years of life and are likely to affect their next and beyond.

It happens.
The pace of events and changing news cycles is dizzying these days and few are able to keep track of both history and present.

It will be left to a generation of elders who are quickly passing on and into oblivion themselves.

But the day will come when America forgets to mourn and a sad morning that will be when there are no more tears and the promise to never forget is forgotten.