Younger siblings always have it easy

Someone I know was shown kindness and compassion this week. They were offered a second chance and help to make good on it.
And I will confess that I resented it. Time and effort and grace were lavished on someone who didn't deserve it, while I felt like I was ignored and dismissed.
And then I remembered the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). How his older brother refused to celebrate when he came home, instead complaining that all the attention was being given to the one who had been selfish and careless, while the one who had worked faithfully had never been celebrated. And I was embarrassed to realise that my internal whinge was echoed in the story.
Like many older siblings, I am very good at pointing out how younger siblings are always spoiled. But this week, I needed to stop and realise that if I truly love my heavenly Father, I should rejoice when one of His children comes home. I should be pleased (but not proud!) that I don't need quite so much help to continue on - while at the same time recognising that there has always been grace available for me when I have wandered.
That's a hard lesson for a neurotic oldest child to learn.

Crossing the Road for One Another

Some thoughts of another:

We become neighbours when we are willing to cross the road for one another. There is so much separation and segregation in our world today: between gay people and straight people, between young people and old people, between sick people and healthy people, between prisoners and free people, between Muslims and Christians, Protestants and Catholics.

There is a lot of road crossing to do. We are all very busy in our own circles. We have our own people to go to and our own affairs to take care of. But if we could cross the road once in a while and pay attention to what is happening on the other side, we might indeed become neighbours.

James