Today I Choose

Today I Choose

There is a lot going on at the moment in our world, in this land called the United States of America, in our cities and counties.  There is political divide, racial divide, economic divide, philosophical divide and spiritual divide.

And what are you choosing to do about all of that?

Here is what I am choosing.

I’m not a marcher.  Never have been.  If you choose to do so, and choose to do it in a peaceful, non-aggressive way, I bless you and say, “go do what you must do.”

I’m a Christian.  I do not curse and slam those who are politically or racially different from me.  I bless them for also living on this planet in this world and breathing the same air that I breathe.  I choose to allow you to believe differently from me, use different phrases and language expressions from me.  You can hold any political stance you wish, any philosophical dogma you care to hold.  Please, hold to those thoughts with passion and confidence. 

However, … allow me the same privilege and the same opportunity.  Just because we differ does not mean one is better or more superior than the other.  We just believe differently.  We express ourselves differently.  You get to choose and I get to choose.  How great is that?

I choose to pray for all of mankind.  I pray for George Floyd’s family, I pray for those who staunchly wave his flag of honor and memory.  I pray for the police officers who were involved in his death.  I pray for their families and fellow officers.

I choose to pray for their commanding officers and other law enforcement individuals, including those in the judicial system and court systems that will have a hand in in bringing about proper judgments and assessments in this situation.

I choose to pray for my President.  I will not judge his motives, his past life, his present actions, for I do not know all that he knows.  I don’t have the privilege of knowing all that he is privy to.  He has a weighty responsibility, and I pray for his health, his safety, his judgment, and for those who advise and consult with him.  I also pray for his family.  This is no small burden resting on their shoulders either.  To see one you love and respect who faces daily criticism and one whose every move and decision is questioned … that is a hard burden to bear.  I pray especially for them.

I choose to pray for all our men and women in political positions and with varying responsibilities.  They, too, bear a heavy load and have much to weigh on a daily basis. 

I choose to pray for you, my reader, regardless of the stance you may take on any of these issues.  Be open, be wise, be careful in making hasty decisions and forming judgmental opinions. 

I choose to believe in the honest and fair resolution of these crisis that we all face.  It will take time, perhaps a lot more time than many of us would hope for.  Yet I believe a positive outcome will be revealed in due time.

I choose to believe mankind will have a future with hope in the middle of all of this upheaval.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

A Worthy Way to Live

A Worthy Way to Live

Let me tell you a brief story.

Once upon a time there was a man who came to our small town.  He was a good, honest man.  He was fair in his dealings, and he loved mankind – all mankind.  He sought, each day, to do some good in his community.

And then, one sad day, he died. 

At his funeral, the preacher said these words:

“When he came there was no light.

When he died there was no darkness.”

Oh, that you and I would live our lives with such intensity. 

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

People Matter More Than Skill

People Matter More Than Skill

I want to tell you a true story and a confession.

During my freshman year in college, every Sunday I would make the drive of 53 miles to my hometown where my Dad pastored a church.  I was the music director and Dad loved it when I would bring someone down who could play the piano on Sundays.

My date for this particular fall Sunday was a classmate named Mary Francis.  She was a piano player and I happened to need a piano player and so we set the time and took another couple with us.

As Mary Francis was getting into my 1957 Chevy, I got distracted by something and closed her car door on her hand that was still in the door track.  Needless to say, she was in a lot of pain.  I was concerned for her hand, no doubt, but now saw my hopes dashing to the ground of not having a piano player on this particular Sunday.

Somehow, Mary Francis agreed to continue the trip, and we all hoped her hand would get better with the hour and fifteen-minute drive we had yet to make.

We arrived, she sat at the piano and tried to practice a bit, but was in obvious pain.  However, she went head and played for that morning service.

And we never dated again. 

In retrospect, I was more concerned at the possibility of not having a piano player than I was at the pain I had caused her hand.   I should have manned up and insisted that she sit this one out.

I let my need for a skill get in the way of recognizing her as a human being and honoring what might have been best for her under these circumstances.

Before now, I’ve not reflected too much on this incident to this degree since it happened 52 years ago.  What an unfortunate fumble I caused. 

What is my takeaway now?

People are always more important than their contribution or skill that they bring to the table. 

During my years as a full-time music minister, I do remember telling my choir members that sometimes you may need to sit out on occasion, or you may need to take a break entirely from choir for a while.  And I actually had some to take me up on that.  That flies in the face of my successful counterparts who boasted of consistently large choirs and steady attendance, but I did a good thing by offering that. 

If I had it to do all over again, I’d still give them a chance at a break, and I would especially have let Mary Francis off the hook on that Sunday. 

Skills come and go.

Sunday church services come and go.

And people are more important than any performance, any award, any race, any piano playing or anything else we may demand of them.  When we honor people, no matter the situation, we always win.  Even if they can’t perform at that particular moment in time, or never perform again to our satisfaction.

People matter more than any skill they offer.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration