Friday, August 18, 2017

WHAT FOR?

WHAT FOR?
Friday, August 18, 2017

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakens morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as the learned [1Corinthians chapter 13]

  The 5 years, age 9-14, I lived on Meadow Lane were wonderful. The occasional neighbor’s home shingled in multi-colors gleaned free from a local roofing company scrapyard wasn’t the only thing mixed. There were numerous other multigenerational families like ours. Some of the grandparents were from Italy, Germany, and Greece. Boyhood invitations to meals were often hoped for. Watching pro wrestling with Grandfather Perseghin I learned to curse in Italian, he thinking we didn’t understand. But there were other differences in speech. One I awoke thinking about this morning was the neighbor never querying with “Why”, always with “What for?” As a child I thought it uneducated and funny. Somewhere along my lifeline this changed to seeing him as a very wise insightful man interested in us, very much involving the patience part of love.
  Today’s awakening pillow question “What for do you write Daily Thoughts? Results?”
  Hmmm …. What’s wrong with writing for results? Number one it is not Christ-like primary motivation.
  Why did Jesus come, for results?
  Jesus was not motivated by hoped for results. He plainly explained He was sent to manifest the will of the Father. (Jn.5:30; Mt.26:42; Mk.14:36)
  As so it should be for those of us claiming to be His followers. (Mt.6:9-10; 7:21; 10:32-33; 12:50; Lk.11:2)
  So, what for should you and I tell others of God’s freely offered gift of redemption? A reason, indeed yes, but not the ultimate family purpose.

EBB4

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