WHAT'S IN YOUR BAG OR POCKET?

Before we went to church this morning, it was good to sit together to have our breakfast in the garden and to commune with nature.  The sun doesn’t reach our blue corner that early in the morning so we enjoyed the coolness after another hot and sticky night. 

We listened to the birds singing and the pigeons cooing, watched a few birds coming down to feed, saw butterflies and bees waking up and searching for pollen and occasionally caught a faint waft of the perfume from the honeysuckle and roses. 

Mr. HCB grew the hollyhocks in today’s Blip from seed;  they are now almost six feet tall and looking beautiful next to the Paul’s Scarlet rose, with the blue fence behind them.

I loved the way the sun was peeping through the burnished bronze of the cherry tree, promising another wonderful day, yet we had to leave this to get to church on time. 

We have been privileged this weekend to have with us Russ and Lesley Howell, who are spiritual mentors to our congregation at Lawn Community Church - getting to know members they hadn’t met before and renewing friendships with others they have known for over twenty years. 

We had a great service and in the sermon we were reminded of the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Russ said he was going to get personal and proceeded to ask the congregation if they had noticed whether or not I had a bag with me.  I did have one and questions were asked about what I might have in it.  Lots of suggestions were made - mostly right - and these included my phone, Bible, a pen, tissues, cards with my name, phone number and email address - but no purse as I had decided to take that out and leave it at home before we came to church.  Russ did ask a few others too - so I wasn’t the only one singled out! 

The point of this was that each morning we should get into the habit of asking God what He wants us to put into our bags - or pockets - so that we will be ready to help those He brings across our path that day.  Then, like the Good Samaritan, we will be ready to be Christ to that person or persons at their point of need.  Russ asked us why the Good Samaritan put wine, oil and bandages into his bag - and ride a donkey - on that particular day?  It was because God knew that he would meet the person who had been “mugged” as he travelled on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.  I must admit I had never thought of that before!  In the same way, therefore, we need to be ready to help those we come into contact with each day.  Definitely food for thought!

“Let no one ever come to you 
     without leaving 
          better and happier. 
Be the living expression 
     of God's kindness: 
          kindness in your face, 
               kindness in your eyes, 
                    kindness in your smile.” 
Mother Teresa