The World Is Divided

The world is divided.

Families are divided.

Christians are divided.

And into all of this, God has sent you.

For a reason that only He and you know, He is asking you to speak when others are silent.

He is asking you to be silent as others yell, push, and are rude.

For some reason God believes (and I tend towards this belief as well) that you are just what the world needs in order to come together again.

This reminds me of a remarkable child I had encountered many years ago.

Though they don’t know it, you are connecting the disconnected. You are bringing together those who are divided and mutually opposed.

At the time he was only about five years old and his parents were going through a terrible separation. Deeply distraught, as any child would be, I rarely saw the little boy smile.

One day, though, his countenance was noticeably changed. He was laughing and joyful and full of hope.

Giving in to my curiosity I asked him, “Michael, what has happened? You look like you’re having a wonderful day.”

“I am,” he said. “It’s because I have a secret and I’ll tell you what it is. When I see my dad, I now ask him to hold my right hand. And when I see my mom, I now ask her to hold my left. Can you guess why?”

I could see the spark in his eyes. “No, Michael, tell me.”

“It’s because through me they are still connected. It’s like they are holding hands but they don’t know it!”

You see, you are like Michael. You hold opposite ends of the world together so long as you let Jesus live in you.

Though they don’t know it, you are connecting the disconnected. You are bringing together those who are divided and mutually opposed.

Through you, Jesus is at work in the world.

So friend, no matter how you are feeling at the moment, get up, get to confession, and start anew.

Because while they are not quite ready to receive the forgiving touch of others, they may just be ready to receive you.

in Christ,

patrick