AM I BIG ENOUGH?

You know, these days it seems more and more difficult to maintain my balance...people are SO opinionated (OK, that includes me too...bah) and feel compelled to bully others into compliance with  'my way or the highway'.  

Could it be sometimes I'm at fault?  Me, no way!

Sometimes innocent conversations take off on tangents that call for herculean self-control or anger takes over!  One might become invisible...duck...or run for cover!  Best to be loving and as gentle as possible...difficult? You think?

Am I able to stand for what I believe to be a 'right/correct' manner of thinking and feeling?  Here I am again...wrong/right?  Am I always right...okay, am I always wrong???  Ouch, that hurts!

Emotions tend to take over and I can't find my 'immune' pill?  With constant, instant communications its no sweat keeping up with everything at a seconds notice. This world has shrunk...right?  Now, we can argue or bully w/anyone, anywhere...in any language.

Years ago (think olden days), travel was usually in-town, in-county, in-state; for the most part only the wealthy left their home continent...but 'the wars' and 'join the Navy and see the world' came along speeding things up.  God was prepping the two of us via military service for a future in His 'foreign service'...talk about change? You betcha'...w/a capital G. 

Philip Glass said 

"Traditions are imploding and exploding everywhere;

everything is coming together, for better or worse,

and we can no longer pretend we're all living in different worlds

because we're on different continents"

We, the people, tend to put perspectives in 'our box'...I'm an American and have an American viewpoint on just about everything.  Best pack that away while in a foreign country...that is if you like peace and tranquility...you quickly recognize the 'Ugly American'...so does your host country.   

So?  Foreigners (hey, in a foreign country I'm supposed to be the 'foreigner') don't do 'personal space'; don't smell like me...don't speak 'my' language. Hey, I spent two entire years studying Greek and loved it. Could I speak like Zorba?  Well, not exactly! But when M and I dined out...they handed the Greek menu to...me! They gave M the English one!   Could be 'cause my hair was black and I looked Greek...ta-dah.

Greece, Holland, Germany, Ethiopia, China...America?  How different could we be from each other?  Poles apart and yet...we have one God who is the Father of all.  For the two of us, teaching about Him is simple and our foreign acquaintances soaked and continue soaking it up like sponges. 

Nationalities are non-existent in His world, His words. 

It wasn't about 'making American Christians' out of them...it was about introducing them to God. 

It wasn't about 'teaching them to worship like Americans'...it was about worshiping God & His Son.  

It wasn't about filling them with 'our ideas, our opinions'...it was about His ideas.

It wasn't and it isn't...because we're still working it for all it's worth...and believe me, that's plenty!  We don't even beat the bushes 'cause He delivers them to our door...special delivery!  They plead for help and teaching...that's great. 

If God were grading my life...would I get A's?  Hardly!

John Maxwell wrote..."A person must be big enough to

admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them,

and strong enough to correct them."      

                                                  

I've made ever so many mistakes and painfully regret most of them ~ how could I have been so hurtful, malicious...down and dirty?  I know, I know...that's in the past and God has forgiven me. 

Okay, I admit a shortcoming as in controlling my tongue!  Why is that tiny member of my body so difficult to control?  God warns me about it all the time...trust me, I'm movin' along and reining it in (most of the time).  

On a positive note...foreigners don't always 'get' our American...shall I say, humor?  So, corrections can be made before any damage is done!  Whew!  In America it isn't so easy to correct missteps!

I'm profiting from my multitude of mistakes and I've taken steps to correct them...praying I'm strong enough for no repeats!

Well, things are coming together; for better or worse...and me?  Here I am, smack-dab in the middle of His world...and guess what? It's peaceful, it's wonderful and best of all...HE's in charge!

From my heart...to yours!