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While I was at work this morning, with many people in my room, a
package was given to me with my name and address and when I opened it,
there was a picture of Kelly Clarkson with the inscription, “To George
with love, Kelly”. I told everyone that this was the strangest
thing I ever saw and that I had indeed done many strange things in my
life. In reflecting on the present, what gave me joy, was the
possibility that she was reading my web-site and the word had made an
impression on her life. I, then, proceeded to share my good news
with a number of people in the company. Well, the truth be told,
the present was from my coworkers and I made a fool of myself before
they finally told me the truth. They told me that seeing it made
me so happy they couldn't tell me the truth until they realized it was
getting out of hand. What they did not understand was that it was
not only because it was Kelly Clarkson, but that maybe she had come to
a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. Maybe the most important reason that God has made such an impact on my life is the simple faith that I have. When I first read the gospels, I didn't read them as fairy tales but I truly believed in what Jesus said and did and I wanted more than anything to experience God and receive the gift of eternal life. Maybe you have read the gospels and intellectualism and rationalism has clouded your perception and to believe what Jesus said and did would make you appear foolish in the eye of family and friends. Jesus is quite clear in this matter, for he says, “If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you”. Unless your ego dies, unless to believe in Jesus is of greater importance than what people think or say of you, you may never enter the kingdom of God. One of the cats we owned was a red cat named Annie. She was my cat but my brother-in-law who was living with us used to pet the cat. One day while he was watering the garden he hosed Annie and Annie never trusted George again. If I had the same disposition as Annie, I might never forgive my coworkers for experiencing a degree of humiliation. Jesus, however, asks us to forgive. If the gift was meant as a practical joke, then they got me and we can laugh. If the gift was a gift that got out of hand, then as we look back on it we can laugh with no malice of forethought. Either way God asks me to endure being made a fool and loving my coworkers. I don't think they had a clue why I was so happy but if my web site touches one person significantly, it gives me joy. amen |