Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Psalm 103: 8
Long lines at the store. Too little time to order online. Not enough savings in the account to have such a bountiful feast. The holidays can be not as “holly-jolly” as the canned music surrounding us suggests.
The world should be abounding in kindness and the car that cut you off in the church parking lot destroys that myth.
I ran into Target the other day for the Express pickup–hoping to eliminate anything attached to a hostile holiday mood and found myself, thankfully, on a short line. Within a few minutes, a fast dodging gentlemen cut a woman with a cane off and got in front of her. She complained that she actually had gotten in the cue first. He would have been one person further back and several feet higher up if he had let her ahead of him. He didn’t. He began arguing back.
I came home and swore I was writing our grandchildren gift checks. No more shopping and going to stores.
I came home and sat down feeling the world being very unkind. Susie jumped up and sat next to me. She curled round my lap and fell asleep. Delia decided to lay down on the rug under our Christmas tree.
All was calm.
The world hasn’t changed much really. Amidst its turmoil and confusion is the reality of Bethlehem–God is merciful and kind. The world abounds in love and peace when we seek them.
Let it begin with you.
