A woman sees a fortune teller. Peering into a crystal ball, the mystic delivers grave news. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just be blunt: Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year."
Visibly shaken, she takes a few deep breaths and meets the fortune teller's gaze with a steady voice: "Just tell me one thing. Will I be acquitted?"
When you think of God and the final judgment, do you feel the love? We should have "warm fuzzies" when we contemplate the eternal.
But we are here, dear reader. And God encourages our love for others even if, and especially when, they don't notice. On the cake of life, they are our ice cream. Happy the one who understands this. Let me illustrate.
Recently while visiting with my son and his family I took the opportunity to pay him a well deserved compliment. I started out by saying, "One hundred percent!" On his report card as a husband and father who dedicates his life to his family, I gave him 100%.
I'd noticed how he spends time with his children, getting them breakfast and giving his wife support even at the risk of arriving late to his job.
I study human nature in the faces of those around me. O often see young couples struggle with giving up self for the other and for family. This is where many marriages make it or break it.
Any one going into marriage with, "What can I get out of it?" will be an unhappy failure. The more you give, the more you receive. Happy are they who live this.
Of course I had the opportunity of passing on a similar report card to my daughter-in-law, but I started out with 110%. Yes, that's what a mother and wife gives. It comes with the territory. There is no time for self.
As a father I was privileged to pass on this support to my son and his wife. I mused that if an earthly father can realize these sentiments about his children, imagine how pleased our heavenly Father is with us.
I know my parents are pleased with me from their vantage point among the blessed. They gave the full measure of their love when they were with each other and with us on earth. We learned much from their example.
Jesus called us blessed when we love others, when we assist them physically and spiritually. They are the icing on our cake of life. If we know this we will enjoy a freedom that is exhilarating.
We will be like the man I saw recently driving a convertible down highway #1 near Ottawa. His hair was rippling in the wind. I noticed that most of the hair on his head had blown away, though much of it still clung to his lower face.
As we go down the highway of life we should feel the joy and exhilaration that is ours by virtue of our redemption. Life's trials may school us, but in the end we trust in a loving report card from God.
