The Burning Question:
When were you the recipient of a random act of kindness?
Morning Devotional:
I have never claimed to have a green thumb. Gardening is not a skill of mine, nor is it a favorite task. If I didn’t enjoy having colorful flowers around my home, I probably wouldn’t bother having them. I do enjoy the look, so every year I try to have a few select flower pots around, and I try to maintain them the best that I can.
Last week, I came home to realize that a certain plant in my flower beds was doing quite well. It was just not the plant I had intended to grow there. Right next to my potted geraniums, there it stood. A tall, proud thistle, complete with a little yellow flower right on top.
This thistle was a monster of a thing, with big, sharp tines on the leaves and a spread that put my geranium to shame. Frankly, it was putting me to shame! How could I let something so ugly get so big right next to my beautiful geranium pot! I went to pull the noxious weed out of the ground but before I did, I stopped to admire the flower. It was pretty. I would even call it dainty. After I pulled the thistle out of the ground, I looked up thistles on the internet to find that the plant is known for its medicinal properties. This thing that I called noxious was actually something others called important, even precious. It all depends on our perspective.
The Lord tells us in Luke 6 to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Sometimes I think we tend to have the wrong perspective about others around us. Someone we may consider a bit prickly on the outside could be a new friend in the making or better yet, a new brother or sister in Christ. So be a blessing to those you might not want around you. You might be surprised by what you get.
– Beth
Bible Quiz:
Question: Who suggested to Jezebel’s priests that Baal was sleeping on duty?
Answer: Elijah (1 Kings 18:27)
Storytime: The Cucumber Gun