The Snowy Gate....

2-17-10

I love snow! About a week ago, we got snow galore all around the Dallas areas and in my hometown!!! The sight was nothing short of spectacular! Everywhere I looked, the landscape was completely transformed-TRULY a masterpiece of the one and only living God!

John 15:12-13
My Command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

After the Snow...

Today, I learned something about myself...

The picture to the left is of the gate (from the inside) of our playground at the Christian pre-school where I work. Notice the snowbank!!! Generally speaking, that is about all that is left of the beautiful snow-scape that God painted with his very breath only a week ago! This is where my lesson began. A co-worker of mine thought it would be best to shovel out a wider pathway in the snow to allow the gate to open toward the outside. So...she got her shovel, and began the endeavor. Another of the ladies I am priveledged to work with asked if she could help, and then another pitched in to help the first as well.

I stood by, pondering how anyone could think there is any good reason to mess up somethign so beautiful....as it were, my opinion was that the gate opened just fine swinging inward...I just didn't get it...and I even vaguely voiced my opinion...."I just don't get it..."

When the path was cleared as she had envisioned, the gate opened to the outside. I watched as these three ladies encouraged each other, and thanked the first for doing such a great job. As I observed the love that these 3 ladies exhibited towards one another, I began to realize what had really just happened....

I thought about how frustrated I tend to feel when others don't get excited about something I am fired up about.

...God showed me that I have that very same tendency! I can't even lay my opinions aside and RECOGNIZE that the opportunity to love and encourage someone is RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!! How could I possibly be prepared to lay down my LIFE for my friends? For my family?

I did not love my sister the way that Christ has loved, and continues to love, me.

I wonder, now...how often do I react out of my own feelings and opinions, rather than out of the love and compassion that is being cultivated within me through my Saviour, Jesus Christ?

...and I don't even realize it when it is happening....?

I wonder if I'm the only one...