Monday, July 27, 2020

the many good things

In "The Vow" a young woman confronts her mother and demands to know why mother didn't leave father when she found out that he had cheated on her and betrayed their marriage. Mother said that she considered it and was about to leave her husband when she thought of her children, her home, and all the things she loved about the life they built together . She decided to forgive her husband and think about the many good things he had done and forget the one bad thing he did.

That would not be the right answer in every situation, I think this husband confessed, apologized, and changed, but what a great attitude - one we might do well to develop in our dealings with the less than perfect people in our lives.

Then I thought about our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for the many bad things we have done, forgives us when we repent, and gives us the chance to change and become better. How grateful I am for His love, compassion, and atoning sacrifice. How grateful I am that He gives us chance after chance to repent and to do good things.

What is a gentleman?


In the book “What Katy Did at School,”  Katy’s sister Clover tells their beleaguered cousin  that being a gentleman is not about how you hold your cup or wear your hat, but about being a gentle man -kind to everyone whether they are rich or poor, being honest,and good.   

On “In the Heat of the Night” a young black man tells the police chief (who just corrected his grammar) that the chief cannot make the young man into a Southern gentleman because he is not white.  The chief says being a gentleman is not about whiteness; being a gentleman is about correctness.  

What do you think it means to be a gentleman ?