Truth

For your consideration…

Today’s message tags onto yesterday’s message but is different.

The message is, “People can be loud and boisterous but be telling the truth. People can be soft-spoken and charming and be a crook.”  We have to pay attention, did a little, and ask ourselves, “Is it true.” Then we have to trust ourselves. That is the best we can do.

So, I bet some of you automatically jumped to the political situation and are thinking that is the example. It is not. The example I was given was a situation that happened about three years ago. I met my daughter, Shannon, at an outdoor mall. It was fall and the students had just returned to college. I was approached by a clean-cut young man. He told me he had parked his vehicle and it was towed away. Parking can be an issue especially that time of year. He said he needed money to get it out of the impound lot. It was his first time away from home. His mother was not comfortable about it so he did not want to call and ask her for money. At that point, Shannon came up, and politely declined for me. As we walked away she said, “That was a total scam. I can’t believe you were going to give him money.” We shopped and returned to our vehicles. As I was driving out of the parking lot, I saw the young man again. I rolled down my window and gave him $20. I told him if I saw him there again, I would report him for scamming people. He was gracious and thankful. Shannon passed me and called me on the phone chastising me for giving him money. I told her that if he is a scammer it is on him. I did a good deed. Fast forward to December. In a different parking lot, a nurse she works with was approached at her vehicle…it was the same guy, same story. However, when she refused to give him money he accosted her. She got away, was not hurt, and reported the incident.

That is the story I was reminded of. I had a cavalier attitude. I’m a good person. If he is a crook, it is on him. But my attitude encouraged and emboldened him. Three months later he was doing the same scam and getting more aggressive.

Our message is that we need to constantly ask ourselves, is it true. We need to suspend judgment…good and bad…and dig until we are confident we know the truth. We won’t always be right but more often than not…if we have done our own due diligence…we will be.

That is the HOPE. And so it is.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, HOPE by HOPE action steps anyone can take…

-Affirm…“I am loved.”

-Meditate…pray…”What is my next step for my highest good and the highest good of all?”

-Drink lots of water.

-Get outdoors and take in at least 10 deep breaths.

-Constantly ask…“Is it true?”

What made me smile yesterday…

-Some more basement cleaning.

-A beautiful walk with my friend, Jul, around the lake followed by lunch.

-Go Blue….so good to have college football back.

-A reading from Rev. Elvia.

-Finished a good book.

Love, Blessings, and Gratitude,

Rev. Chris