Friday, July 17, 2009

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Along life's road Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. — Luke 15: 9. For the life of me, I really and truly don't know why you "vex," because there are so many things for you to be thankful for! First on the list — it is Thursday and your picture isn't in the 'obit' section. Isn't God good in spite of the little hitches that you are experiencing in your life? It was rather a frustrating experience for the women's national volleyball team with the theft of their belongings in Barbados, but as I read and saw that they were about to return home, my thoughts turned to the 1972 Olympics, in Munich, West Germany, when members of the Israeli squad were taken hostage and 11 athletes and coaches, and one West German police officer, were eventually murdered by Black September, a militant group with ties to Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization. There is still much left to rejoice! We can always get another passport, belongings or money, but not a life if it is taken. Rejoice, we were exposed to a focused level of participation and sportsmanship! A friend of mine received an honorary doctorate of human letters degree the other day and I was so very happy for him, but yet I heard others make unkind remarks as to whether he should be referred to as "doctor," or why should it be publicized? If one has found success and a higher lever upon which to stand, why not rejoice rather than make remarks that are saturated with jealousy. Why only tolerate rather than celebrate! We have lost so many precious "small" things here in our country — courtesy, kindness in words, thoughts and deeds, dignity, decorum, national and self pride, that we have to begin a national treasure hunt. We have to look everywhere — in our homes, our schools, our churches, on our streets and beaches — everywhere. God knows we are in a sad state of affairs, but there is hope for us to rejoice. In our lesson text today, because of the absence of rejoicing and room given to murmurings and fault finding, Jesus had to give a homily medley based upon the lost and found department. Simply put, Jesus raised the question on the importance of finding one sheep in spite of the fact that you have 99, but you did in fact have 100. Anybody feels deprived if their number isn't right. How many persons are in grief or have missed the jackpot, or the championship just because they were one number short. Or how about the woman with her 10 pieces of silver that she had for a "gang" of years and could not recall how she only now had nine? Everything at that moment is insignificant and would be off track until she finds her one piece. She will look in every nook and cranny, check and re-check and would not be satisfied until she finds it. To invite her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her is as a result of her finding her one lost piece of silver. What about that which is more precious than silver or gold! Humankind? A short-sighted son, who thinks that a man's life is measured in the abundance of things that he possesses, until he finds himself broke, busted and disgusted. Think about the heart-broken father who never gave up on his son and lived with the hope that one day he will return to his sense of direction and purpose. No matter if he returns home, the opposite of how he left, the mere fact that he is back in the fold is a time for great rejoicing. This Father's Day, do you know what a time of rejoicing it will be if delinquent fathers were to find their head sand return to their position of leadership within the home. In some cases, there are some fathers who have intentionally led and abandoned their children into the wilderness of lostness. Some have allowed "silly women" to turn their backs on their children and grandchildren. The time is now for a call to rejoice. Let us rid ourselves of the many dirges of sadness and despair and rejoice for what God is about to do in our Land. We are about to find those values and hallmarks of excellence that will propel our people to newness in thoughts, words and deeds. Newness in respect for God, our brother and our country. Newness in our commitment of servant leadership moreso than showmanship. Good times are ahead for a new people whose faith in God and others will finally find a resting place. This is just cause for rejoicing. E-mail me with your prayer requests, concerns and comments to rubyanndarling@yahoo.com or write to P.O. Box 19725 SS Nassau, Bahamas. Thursday, June 18, 2009