Peripatetics: The Art of Walking
Monday, November 29, 2004
When I was in high school, my little sister was in middle school. My senior year she was in 8th grade. I'm not sure there's a more volatile mix in ages regarding the dynamics of a household.
There were battles over the phone (back before features such as call-waiting and caller ID were invented): I was on the phone for about 10 seconds each time, deciding when and where to pick up my friend or where to meet my girlfriend. She was watching tv shows "with" her friends and chatting about what I thought was nothing and wouldn't get off to let me use it.
There were battles over music: I was in my heavy-metal phase and she was into whatever was on MTV, which at the time, was showing an awful lot of a guy who later became an 80's icon, Adam Ant.
There were battles over vacation plans: I wanted to bring more than one friend, she wanted to bring a slew of (my vantage point) her stupid middle school girl friends. Seemed like she got her way, too...again, before mini-vans so everybody could bring two. Don't even get me started on the battles over exactly where the middle of the backseat actually was (after my mom told us to "stay on our side").
I never thought about how this might affect my mom at all. In retrospect, I'm sure it made her crazy.
Then I moved out and went off to college...and our relationship became amazing.
I didn't come home very often, but when I did we always managed to grab a movie on the Friday night I was home...or maybe we'd go out to eat. We'd goof around making dinner the next night. We started hugging more. We started saying "I love you" a bit more.
Again, I never thought about how this would affect my mom at all. In retrospect, I'm sure it made her very happy.
Psalm 133, from The Message, begins this way:
"How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!"
And it is. It affects family dynamics around the house...
...and it affects dynamics around the church "house."
Think about it. The church (like the pilgrims marching to Jerusalem) is a mix of people from the whole spectrum of humanity. Old, young. Outgoing, shy. Tall, short. Rich, poor. You name it...they're all there.
And when they get together and get along, that can be an incredible witness for God. If the work He does in people's hearts and minds can unify such a diverse mix of people, there must be something to it. The world will have to sit up and take notice that the old & young are getting along. The outgoing and shy have something in common. The tall and the short are hanging out together. The rich and poor are harmonious. People that shouldn't necessarily get along are not only getting along, but sharing life together. An abundant life together.
It's wonderful and beautiful.
And when we fight, it's not wonderful or beautiful.
And the unbeliever is going to be drawn to wonderful and beautiful. They can get ugly anytime, anywhere.
Is there someone you need to unite with? Is there a brother or sister you've been shunning for any number of reasons? I'd encourage you to strive for wonder and beauty today.
Brent 6:52 AM
Comments:
it's not an easy job, but someone's got to do it, right? sometimes it's really hard to be kind to family and friends, especially when they hurt you. how to love them even when they hurt you...something i've been pondering for a while. afterall, you can't have unity without love - i don't see it working anyways.
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