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Pastor's Corner |
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| 1/7/2007 |
The other day I was sitting at one of my favorite
locations of leisure – for a latte of course – when I looked up from the
engrossing book that I was devouring to see at a table just across from
me a little girl sitting peacefully.
She was not fidgety. She was not anxious because her guardian was absent
from the table. She was not looking around out of boredom or curiosity.
She was not in any turmoil at all. She was happily busy. Very calm and
serene.
Sitting on the table in front of her was a small, puppy-sized, white and
black dog to which she was giving her full attention. In her hand was a
comb, and she was kindly and carefully grooming behind the ears,
fluffing up the coat, stroking its fur smoothly into place. With all the
love and adoration she could muster upon this cherished friend, she was
happily meeting its needs.
Well, the needs she was ‘imagining’ he had; after all, he was only a
stuffed animal; a mere creation of the hands of man; a mere production
line product sold at some local imitation pet seller. Yes, that is what
it was once, a mere thing on a shelf, but not anymore! To her, it was
her friend. To her it was a constant companion. It was her peace. I’m
sure it had a name too.
At first my mind thought: “isn’t that cute”. Then my mind thought of how
some might say: ‘how sad that she gives such an inanimate thing so much
attention’. Then my inner echo shifted again and thought: ‘how
incredible her love must be!’
It never barks. It never wags. It never goes for strolls. It never licks
her face. It never snuggles up to her toes. It just sits – and receives
all her attention.. It exists for HER delight. It abides ever close at
hand to please. And she loves it carefully and fervently. It exists and
that brings her peace.
To me watching, it also demonstrated to me that we must all practice
loving first in preparation for the real thing. It shows that if we are
faithful with the small insignificant thing then our loving father may
later give us the real dog to care for – as lovingly. Practice makes
perfect, right?
I also heard an echo of a thought: If you, being carnal, can love an
man-made thing so fully, then would not God love the God-made
‘creatures’ which he created and breathed life into far beyond that? And
would he not show us the same lesson as proof? Consider . . .
God made a king of a shepherd who played music for dumb sheep; who
practiced slaying a bear before slaying an enemy of God.
God made prophets out of vineyard keepers, farmers; apostles out of
fishermen; all well practiced individuals.
God made a Savior of a carpenter’s son who practiced being a master
builder; who debated with scribes for fun at twelve.
Here is the final point: we begin by caring for things without souls not
realizing that God is preparing us to care for real living souls. Our
child side does it automatically as a dim reflection of being created in
God’s likeness and image. Christ had it right: ‘except ye be as little
children’ . . . |
©
Anthony J. Massotti Th.M., Th.M. 1/07/2007
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Original Quote by Pastor Anthony |
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The child who hurriedly wants to become the adult becomes the adult who has to find the child they lost.
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This site was last modified on 10/10/2007
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