In the chaplain’s office at St. Luke’s Hospital, there hung a banner with these words printed upon it:

May those that love us, love us;
and those that don’t love us,
may God turn their hearts;
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
may He turn their ankles
so we’ll know them by their limping.

Having a little of the Irish in me, I got a good laugh out of that prayer. There’s some wisdom in it too, because, while I wouldn’t recommend wishing sprained ankles on your enemies, I would recommend finding ways to discern who your true enemies are.

Our worst enemies, you see, most often go unrecognized by us and pass themselves off as friends. I’m not speaking of human enemies here, but of the way that good things can often distract us from better things. “Good is the enemy of the best” the old saying goes and that is especially true of the laundry, the cell phone, the television set; all of these are fine things in themselves, but when they become more important than our time spent with God and family, then they become our worst enemy—worst because they are hidden in the “goodness”.

In these busy, “feverish” days of summer, don’t loose track of one another or of the God who gives you each day and each breath. Remember Him as you eat and drink, praise Him as you wake to a new morning, talk with Him as you prepare for the day’s activities. Why waste all your time on eyebrow pencils and mouth wash, a soul needs beautifying each morning too! Know your enemies—whether they limp or not—and don’t let them distract you from “the one needful thing.” (see Luke 10:42)

In His Service,
Pastor Paul

Africa Children's Choir at Lovely Lane

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