Psalm 145:8-13
Jehovah is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of love. He is good to everyone, and his compassion is intertwined with everything he does. All living things shall thank you, Lord, and your people will bless you. They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom and mention examples of your power. They will tell about your miracles and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom never ends. You rule generation after generation. Psalm 145:8-13 (TLB)
The Psalmist (probably David) is singing the praises of our Lord. In the Psalmist’s eyes the Lord can do no wrong and is full of love and compassion. Wouldn’t it be nice if those of us who profess to be followers of the Lord and his son Jesus Christ could emulate those qualities? What a difference we could make in this world that is torn by hatred, strife and war. Of course, that is easier said than done.
As I watch the current Olympics I have some hope. I see 10500 athletes from 206 countries, many of which, politically, hardly speak to one another. Yet there they are, as winners and losers, congratulating each other in and out of the competing venues. It appears that some, from quite different countries, actually like and respect each other. I saw a young woman from the small country of Saint Lucia (population about 180,000) win gold in the women’s 100m race. The watch party in her home country went wild (picture a party if Nebraska beat Ohio State in Football)! We can learn a lot from those folks who compete hard with each other for fame and sometimes money and yet seem to genuinely like each other. Of course, we sometimes see the opposite behavior, but we humans are not perfect. We can contribute our small part by “loving our neighbor as ourselves.” In other words, try to do what the Psalmist said the Lord does. And of course, Christ came along and was the embodiment of that love and caring. Paul expressed it this way: If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1 (NLT)) My son, a Lincoln Police officer, gave me a shirt with the following embossed on it which says it all, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13, NLT). Let’s not be clanging cymbals. We can love others yet still compete. The Olympics provide a model!
Questions for Reflection:
- What can you do to help lower the levels of conflict we see so often in our own backyards?
- Can we disagree without being disagreeable?
Prayer:
Dear Father, help me accept others who are different. Help me see competitive situations as venues for learning from others and if I lose in a competition, help me accept my loss and still love my competitor. Amen
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