Shade Tree Wisdom 7/24/07

This is kind of a happy story. She is coming home from the market, morning shopping done, driving easily along familiar streets. She noticed children playing ball on the empty lot, and noticed also that the batter just hit a long fly ball. She slowed a bit, knowing that some child would be chasing the ball as it rolled between the cars into the street. Here it came, and she is ready. She was not on a phone talking nothings to a friend, she was not looking in the mirror putting on lipstick, she was paying attention to steering this 2- ton monster she was driving, and she stopped in plenty of time. And the game played on while she drove safely home, tucked her groceries away, and spent the day as she had planned.

We might wish life was always that pleasant and right. But it isn’t, and that makes it ever challenging and interesting, doesn’t it? But let me also remind us all that God’s ear hears, and the Psalmist teaches us Psalm 17,6 reads “ I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.” God not only hears our prayers, but He also gives us the wisdom to live as He leads us to live.

And there is where sin enters in, because we become willful and throw off His guiding hand and word. Like children we say to Him, “I’d rather do it myself’. And end up with troubles of our own making.

That’s what makes the story above so interesting. Think of the lady driving that car. She simply does what God would expect, pay attention to what she is doing, not concerned with other things, just paying attention. Question, do we always?

GPD 7/24/07