Divorce Extremes
Black or white? Fight or flight? All or nothing? Which way do you lean? Truth is all of us have a natural bent based on our past, our personality, and our present reality. We could call that lean our very own extreme.
Right now, we are living in a world of extremes:
Buy ALL the toilet paper on the shelf - OR - just use whatever you got lying around the house ("that's what they used to do back in the day.")
Soak your hands in bleach - OR - don't wash your hands at all ("that's what I did when I was a kid and I was never sick.")
Stack cases of water to the ceiling of your home three rows deep - OR - drink nothing but soda, sweet tea, and kool-aid ("that's what I've been surviving on up until now and I haven't been to the doctor in years.") Really?
I like to take my cues from people smarter, stronger, and wiser. People like Paul. Paul was a tent maker, pastor, world-traveler, and teacher. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, but instead of freaking out, shook the snake off of his arm and kept kicking. Paul was a mentor to a young minister named Timothy and instead of telling him to pray away his stomach troubles, he instructed him to drink a little wine from time-to-time.
Paul knew Jesus. Through his relationship with The Son of God he had learned so many things, and I believe one of them was this: You have to divorce extremes.
If Paul were here during our current world crisis I think he would tell us:
To give to the poor and needy and make sure we have food to feed our families.
To take medicine if we need to and pray for healing.
To not be afraid to entertain strangers and not to expose the vulnerable to illness.
To not neglect meeting together, even if that meeting is over a computer or phone screen.
To honor our authorities, even if we don't agree with them.
To "not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
In the coming days, let's leave our extremes behind and live with hope, joy, wisdom, and peace. Let's be good neighbors, parents, and friends. Let's keep on doing what we know is right and trust God with our lives.