Monday, January 15, 2007

Moments of Insignificance

What is within a moment? A second. A few minutes. A lifetime on hold listening to the same song. Not much seems contained within an insignificant moment.

Last week the Dallas Independent School District Superintendent was ridiculed for failing to cancel services. Every other school district in every county around had canceled school due to icy, freezing conditions. We make decisions every day some are significant and others are insignificant. We do things every day that have eternal significance.

A friend shared a story about a snow day. She was a first grade girl bundled up on a snowy day. I imagined her as a poster child for the "Christmas Story" movie little brother who was a walking bundle of protection with gloves, hat, scarf and many layers. A group of first grade boys shoved her over into the snow. She could not get up. The next thing she remembers were some black gloved hands that picked her up out of the snow, set her down on her feet, brushed the snow out of her eyes, and gave her a blessing from God. The gloves were those of a Catholic priest. That long forgotten moment was for her significant. Because in those hands she found someone who knew God. From then on she wanted to know the God this priest knew.

Her story made me think of all the things I do every day. Some things I want to forget. Some are achievements I want to remember. But most things seem insignificant and disappear into the fabric of life. Most likely that priest would never remember this event. It was just something you do to help.

How we live in the small and secret moments of life defines our character. We become who we are on the inside. Our life is actually a lived out expression of the desires, intentions of our hearts. I have chosen to train my heart to become like the heart of Jesus. I can find no more genius person than Jesus. I can find no more reliable example of living life than Jesus Christ. While I am no where near getting my heart and desires in the shape of Jesus, I am trying with each moment to live as Jesus lives.

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