As much as I "hate" to go to work on Sunday instead of church is maybe as much as I "love" to be at Target handing out samples to the shoppers. This is because I am a people watcher. I really do "love" people, each and everyone and proclaim an amazing God of Creation that I know designed them all. "For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written. The days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." (Psalm 139:13-14;16).
A couple passed by this past weekend and the woman had one of those men's haircuts that many women are sporting these days and the man's hair was long enough to cover the back of his neck. My mind's thought immediately was "what is wrong with that picture?" I asked the Lord to forgive my prejudice, bigotry, "old fashioness", judgmental attitude-whatever. As always this getting old but thinking like I'm still in my twenties can trip me up and usually does a lot. It is just things like women loving long hair to flip and attract men and men having short hair looking strong and confident was the norm for most of my life. I know, I know it is "behind the times."
That is my point - so much is lost even though so much more has been gained in so many areas. I do understand and yet I don't. It is just one more part of the conundrum of old age.
The point of this sharing post is to say that I no sooner thought my first thought about the couple then to move quickly to my next which is simply this. I do "love" people and it dawned on me watching that couple pass by how much more God loves people and knows exactly who He created and why He wanted them to be exactly who they are. He is the one who knows their frame, their personalities and what choices and preferences will be theirs all their lives. He loves them to the point of offering His own most beloved Son to die for them so that they could come and dwell with Him forever in eternity.
So it also dawned on me that because God is the one who chooses and decides how to make each of us unique and individually different, we must "love" everyone in that same way. Not to be able to help them have eternal life, but to let them be just who they are no matter how it may differ with what we like or suppose is right or wrong. I am talking about personality, flesh choices not moral or spiritual ones. We have a Bible that tells us what to think about those things and I do believe if you hold yourself accountable to that precious book then we should all agree on most issues in those pages, i.e. "Thou shalt murder, steal, covet...etc."
But my deciding what I think about a couple based on their haircuts or kids because they listen to the "noise" they call music versus the "music" I listen to...well it is obvious there will be a wide chasm of differences. I was listening to a documentary on Frank Sinatra and my 18 year old grand angel asked who that was and then very simply stated, "he can't even sing." True, true she actually said it. I think that sums it up pretty well.
I do want to leave with this - I still do "love" that couple and all the other fun, interesting and amusing people who pass by all day long on weekends at Target. So many life stories I am dying to know being the "curiosity kills the cat" type that I am.
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