Doing Life Together
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
The Message (MSG)
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 seems a perfect text to describe the gift of true friendship in this world; the kind that fills in blind spots when needed as did my friend the other day, thus saving me from the double mistake of behaving like a numbskull and in addition not knowing it.
The photo of our son Peter rescuing one of our grandsons from the marshy ground he was rapidly sinking into on one of our adventures of last summer, seemed a fitting illustration of our need for one another.
The good news is that I got together with the other person involved in my blunder and had a chance to fully apologize. The better news is that we are closer in heart now than if I hadn't been so careless. That's how it is with God, who uses all material, even the bad stuff, redemptively. All is well in Belindaland--for the time being at least.
I wrote an email to my team at work today about something that had happened that I wanted to debrief with them at our next meeting and I said, "I could have done SO much better. But it is all good, I think, if even from experiences that aren't our finest, we can say, "This is what I learned from that!"
As this new year started I thought about the fact that I only get to lead them for another 31/2 years before I retire. Leading them is a privilege every day. I thought today of Jesus and how he had his team for 3 years and how much he grew to love them. I understand how he called them not servants but friends.
And I hope in the time we have left together; should God allow; that they get to learn more from me than how to apologize well for mistakes! :)
It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough!By Belinda
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 seems a perfect text to describe the gift of true friendship in this world; the kind that fills in blind spots when needed as did my friend the other day, thus saving me from the double mistake of behaving like a numbskull and in addition not knowing it.The photo of our son Peter rescuing one of our grandsons from the marshy ground he was rapidly sinking into on one of our adventures of last summer, seemed a fitting illustration of our need for one another.
The good news is that I got together with the other person involved in my blunder and had a chance to fully apologize. The better news is that we are closer in heart now than if I hadn't been so careless. That's how it is with God, who uses all material, even the bad stuff, redemptively. All is well in Belindaland--for the time being at least.
I wrote an email to my team at work today about something that had happened that I wanted to debrief with them at our next meeting and I said, "I could have done SO much better. But it is all good, I think, if even from experiences that aren't our finest, we can say, "This is what I learned from that!"
As this new year started I thought about the fact that I only get to lead them for another 31/2 years before I retire. Leading them is a privilege every day. I thought today of Jesus and how he had his team for 3 years and how much he grew to love them. I understand how he called them not servants but friends.
And I hope in the time we have left together; should God allow; that they get to learn more from me than how to apologize well for mistakes! :)
Comments