Scripture for Today: Galatians 6:1-2  “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.  But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

I love walking the Back Bay of Newport Beach.  The smell of sage, the view of the water and the reappearing rabbits make it a very pleasant experience.  Recently, I was walking quickly and looking down at just the right moment to see a jagged piece of glass in my path.  I avoided it and moved on.  But then after a moment’s reflection, I turned around to carefully pick it up and move it gingerly to the side of the path.  The next person walking may not be so lucky in avoiding that glass.  I would want the same consideration from someone else.

Our verse for today is speaking only to those who are living and walking by the Spirit.  That description refers to the one exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, the first aspect of which is love.  Restoring a fellow believer who is broken with sin is an act of love and caring.  It is done with kindness, tenderness and a gentle spirit.  Like broken glass, they are a danger to themselves and to others.  Without meaning to they hurt themselves, they hurt others who are looking to them and they can even hurt the one who wants to help.  When we restore someone to a close relationship with the Lord, we listen, we cry, we share, and we encourage confession.  How amazing it is to see God’s forgiveness make one whole again!

We are all fragile and easily broken by sin.  Thank you Lord, for brothers and sisters who care!

Scripture for Today:  Col. 2:2  “that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery; that is, Christ Himself.”

My daughter, sister and Mother all love to knit.  For whatever reason, the gene did not get passed to me.  This scarf was made by my daughter as a gift for a friend and I have also been a happy recipient.  It has been found that knitting provides the health benefits of lowered stress.  Somehow, the rhythmic and repetitive action has a calming affect.

Knitting has enjoyed a real comeback.  One can find lots of websites and knitting clubs today.  But I was surprised to learn how ancient an art it is.  The earliest example is a pair of cotton socks with a stranded knit color pattern found in Egypt.  It dates back to the end of the first millennium AD!  What surprised me further was to discover that knitting used to be a male-only occupation!

In our verse for today Paul prays that the believers in Colossae will be encouraged by having their hearts knit together in love.  What a beautiful image!  Just as those stitches cannot stand alone, so too we need each other.  Regardless of the kind of stitch used they all have one thing in common; one stitch is looped into the next.  Unfortunately, stitches can be dropped.  If a loop of yarn accidentally falls off the needle, the dropped stitch can cause the knitting to unravel.  One needs to go back and pick up that dropped stitch.

God’s love does bind us together.  We are stronger and more beautiful when interconnected.  Thank you, Lord, for the encouragement that comes from spending time with other believers!

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 3:7  “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

This was perhaps the hardest thing my husband was ever asked to do!  Not talking is a real challenge, but he did a very expressive mime for a French church service twenty-four years ago. There were no worries over a microphone, vocabulary or an American accent.  The message was clear even without words.

Mime has been around since the days of Greek theater in 467BC.  But it was Gerard Deburau who introduced in France the silent Pierrot pantomimes in the nineteenth century.  We call them “pantomime blanche” because of the white face.  Mime or silent theater is a wonderful way of communicating the Gospel without the need for language!

Our verse for today was written by King Solomon who had received from God a special gift of wisdom.  It is part of a poetic text that describes the times for doing or refraining from doing a number of activities.

There are many occasions when it is better to remain silent than to speak.  In the face of overwhelming grief, it is often better to touch and hug rather than to speak.  I will never forget a time when we were in a state of shock, and a good friend said not a word.  He cried with us, and that was all that was needed.  We often hesitate to approach someone suffering because we worry about what to say.  A silent presence sometimes speaks more eloquently than words ever could.

There is a time to speak and I need God’s wisdom in my choice of words.  Whether it is explaining the Gospel or comforting a friend, Lord show me when to speak but also when to be lovingly silent.