There are times in life when attention on the wrong thing makes us unaware of the good things: sunshine we ignore because the meteorologist said we needed rain, the laughter of children because we needed to concentrate on a project, the fresh smell of dirt because we wanted clean fingernails instead, or the sound of a church singing Amazing Grace because someone was off pitch. So many treasures line our path, but we miss them because our earbuds are in and our eyes, well, they might as well be closed.
And yet it is those very things – the precious things we miss because we are so used to them or because they have become so much a part of our lives that we take them for granted – that we should, we must, hasten to value before they are gone. For they will go as surely as the mist over a lake rises and disappears in the next minute.
You don’t need to tell someone what you think, but it’s nice to have the choice, isn’t it? You don’t need to carry a gun or even want one, but it might be a valuable option when you come face to face with someone who’d as soon kill you as look at you. You don’t need to go to church, but . . . I’ll stop there. I think everyone benefits from being part of a church who reveres God and loves Jesus. But God is better than I. He doesn’t force anyone to do anything. Free will is one of His best things. And freedom is a treasure.
All I know is some people think its unfashionable to love their one nation under God. Every once in awhile someone argues themselves into not voting or maybe not caring. Maybe they think their action and effort doesn’t matter. Or perhaps they feel too important to do such a common man thing as voting. Maybe a passionate professor or friend convinced them the old fashioned ways of our country need an upgrade. I can’t say because I don’t know. But whatever prevents someone from doing even a small thing to fight for his country – well I’m glad it didn’t prevent David from picking up some small stones when he saw Goliath. Dear friend, there could come a day – maybe very very soon – when those treasures you didn’t know you had will disappear because of your apathy or arrogance. And then. Then. You will long for something you had, but failed to treasure.
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