Sermonette: Aug. 19, 2019

Rain. We love it. It is needed to grow our crops. Oh, there may be some irrigation on a small scale here and there but for the most part, our farmers here need the rain. I must admit, agricultural purposes aside, I do like the rain. Even as I write this sitting at my desk, there is a very light drizzle happening right outside my window. The other day when I got home from the office I was in my recliner reading and listening to a gentle rain. It wasn’t storming or blowing, just enough so that I could hear it. Yes, I know it is going to make the grass grow and will hasten the next time we’ll need to mow, but I find it relaxing just the same.

After our 9:00 service at church, we usually head for the basement for coffee and goodies. As seems to be the procedure in every church I’ve attended, the norm is for the men to sit at one table and the women at the other. I don’t know what is discussed at the other table, but at the men’s table the most likely topics are the condition of the crops and how much rain received. What amazes me is the difference that only a few miles can make. After a recent rain, Sheyenne received about three quarters inch of precipitation. The guys at the table reported everything from barely a trace, to about one-half inch. How can there be that much difference in such a small area?

I also love the sun. A round of golf on a hot summer day sounds pretty good. So does a picnic in the park. We recently had our annual outdoor church service and were blessed with great weather. The sky was blue, the sun was warm and we had a great picnic afterward. For those who love water sports or just laying on a sandy beach, yes, a good warm sun is great.  

So why all my talk about the weather? Mark Twain once said that everybody complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it. Whenever I think of weather, I often think of a couple of verses from the fifth chapter of Matthew. Jesus is giving a sermon about loving and praying for your enemies. To paraphrase those verses, he says that the Father makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteousness and unrighteousness so shouldn’t we be doing the same in how we treat those different from us? Shouldn’t we be doing what Jesus has told these people? Or, do we make fun of those that are mentally or physically disabled? Are we nice to people only of our “own kind?” Do we shun those less fortunate than us and have our friendships based on the size of their bank accounts? Do we treat people differently if they are of an ethnic background or religion than ours? I prayerfully hope you don’t. God doesn’t. Neither should we. Blessings to you all.