written by Stephan Joubert
You’re only as good as your last move on the chess board of life. Rugby players are assessed on Mondays based on their game the previous Saturday. Preachers are evaluated based on their last sermon. A writer’s most-recent book determines his success. Ditto for an actor’s performance in his latest movie. This is not the way things should be. We should give each other more chances than just the last thing we did. The latest controversial thing someone did should never overshadow all the good things that he or she has done, especially not between friends.
We can’t live with such short-term memories when it comes to the integrity of others. We shouldn’t dare write each other off or move each other aside based on something that didn’t impress us. The Lord’s love causes us to always start over and afresh with each other. We should believe and expect the best of each other as 1 Corinthians 13 teaches.
{ 0 comments }
I once read a tale of two monks that went on a journey. At a river they encountered a woman who couldn’t cross the fast-flowing water without help. The first monk refused to help her, since it was against their order’s rules to touch a woman. The other monk immediately offered to help by carrying her on his shoulders across the river. Afterward, the rule-abiding monk went on for hours about his “shocking” breach of their rules. “I don’t understand your unhappiness,” the helpful monk eventually answered. “I put that woman down hours ago, but you’re still carrying her around.” How true! We don’t get other people off our shoulders easily, especially not those that breach our own religious rules.