Spring has been absolutely lovely these past few days. A couple days of shifting winds and storms keep us weather aware and on our toes. Before the wind and rain tore the petals off the blooms I brought in a few blooms from the peony bushes and bed of irises to make a bouquet. The other days the sun shone, and the air has been just a bit cool but refreshing. This day, listening to the thunder rumble and the few raindrops splatter on the spring green foliage is divine. Watching the hummingbirds feed on the sugar water makes my world stop for those few seconds while each take their turn at feeder near my atelier window. The newness and goodness of the season echo how good our God is.
The refreshing nature of spring rains reminds me how I am washed and renewed into a new life with Jesus. The Hebrew word for “good” is “tov”, and it appears well over 500 times in the Old Testament. The Greek word for “good” is “agathos”, and it is in the New Testament over 100 times. “Good” outnumbers “bad” by a long shot in the holy scriptures. The word “bad” is only mentioned 17 times. A similar word “evil” or “wrongdoing” is mentioned over 150 times. The word “sin” appears over 400 times in the Bible. Is not that the nature of good, it outweighs bad every time?
Last week I had a friend ask me if I have done “good” lately. I was thinking, “well, I haven’t done bad as of late.” For that matter the word “bad” isn’t usually in my vocabulary. There is too much good to do, to do bad. Where I fault is what I fail to do out of ignorance, inconvenience, or selfishness. In the Catholic service we make a confessional prayer called the Confiteor (Latin for “I confess”) at the beginning of each Mass which includes these words:
“I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault…”
Next time I am asked if I have done good lately or what is that good I did lately; I will consider this question a prompting. What needs are in the immediate world around me? Then I will act on the need to make good.
The saying “birds of a feather flock together” rings true with many people and under most circumstances. We choose to love and surround ourselves with those like ones self. Dating sites such as eHarmony and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter count on us “birds of a feather to flock together”. But reality is we are so different even among “our own birds, own people”. You are unique. You may want to have alone time rather than socialize. Write or read rather than be entertained by the screen. Fiction versus non-fiction. Documentary or fantasy movie. Find just the right blouse at a small second-hand boutique versus settle for a pricey hot new fashion at the name-brand store. Choices of foods and drinks are varied. There are so many choices in our grocery stores and eateries. That sweet treat is a bowl of fresh organic berries and a dollop of real whipped cream rather than a candy bar. Are your leafy greens arugula laced with a balsamic vinaigrette or a chopped iceberg salad doused with creamy dressing? Will you steep a cup of herbal tea then poured over ice for a cool down at the office or run for that iced caramel latte? Employment at a fast-paced corporate office or slower-paced non-profit? Full-time or part-time? Choices of spouse, house, cars, and investments: loving, dependable, big, small, fast, classic, high-risk, steady … You fill in with your multiple choice answer. Now that you see how you are different, I suppose my point is to live and love in understanding because of those differences.
Woman Warrior 