By the way…
We invited Barbara and Wayne Zimmer to come for supper. They live down the road a piece, and also maintian a home in Canada. Wayne’s brother, the Honorable Rod A. A. Zimmer, MC, from Winnipeg, Manitoba is visiting Wayne and Barbara at this time, so we felt it quite an honor to have him here also. Rod is one of 6 senators serving the Canadian Parliament in the capital city of Ottawa, and has received special recognition from the Queen of England. Our supper was catfish from the Hideaway, which is always a big hit, and I made the fixin’s to go with it. Senator Zimmer, who tore into the catfish just like the rest of us, is so gracious and appreciative that I tended to forget what a high and distinguished position he holds. Isn’t that the kind of person we hope to have in our own senate, someone who can relate to real people (and who doesn’t think that anything under two hundred and fifty thousand per year is poverty level).
Later that evening our guests put together a “patio fire pit,” a gift from my son which has been sitting on my front porch, still snug in it’s box, for quite some time. I would never have asked them to do that, but I was so glad they did. It was not an easy task and I never would have gotten it together. No doubt, cooking and shopping are my strong suites, but any skill in assembling things has never yet appeared in my cards. I am glad there’s a place in this world for everybody, aren’t you? It was so relaxing to sit and visit, all of us gathered around the cheery glow of the fire. I think I could have sat there all night and one of these nights I may do just that. Thanks to Freddy, Senator Rod, Wayne and Barbara, for such a nice gift.
Speaking of poverty, it seems to me that having money or having a lack of it, plays a huge role in determining where a person falls on the scale of just about every aspect of our lives. Not “fair,” not “equal,” but that’s pretty much the way it is. However there is a way that equalizes people that is stronger than money and that rises high above worldly scales, which are judged by worldly eyes of worldly people. It is the saving knowledge of Jesus, in whom every person can have life abundantly. The wealthy person who comes to know Jesus, will know that without the life and wherewithal he has been given, he might have been as poor as Job’s turkey. Whether born to the caste or born with a silver spoon, he will probably soon come down with a chronic case of humble, and thereafter his heart will show through in his life.
The poor man who feels lower than a snake’s belly will be happy when he meets Jesus and finds out that his Father is the Creator and King of all. His Father owns everything and it will be just a matter of time until he has everything too. How uplifting to learn that his Father has been waiting to hear from him; that He loved him so much that He came to Earth and died the death of extreme human suffering, to show that man just how much He loves him and that accepting his Son is the way to God’s heart. “How valuable I must be to God, that he would do all that just for me,” thinks the poor man. And it is the same with the rich man. Who can boast, who can envy? A person who knows Jesus is just plain thankful to be here, for we know that the best is yet to come. The world does not understnad how a person who has “nothing” could be filled with joy and contentment. Neither do they understand how a person who has “nothing” could be filled with joy and contentment. Neither do they understand people who are wealthy, but use their silver spoons to feed the poor and see to the needs of others. But we know why, for the Bible tells us that the same Spirit works in all who belong to God. “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.” (James 1:9-10)
Bottom line: Rich or poor, the day will come to stand before God. He will wait to hear from you until the end of time, but the trouble is, you may not last that long. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
