Wednesday, August 27, 2008

An Extra Mile

My balcony feels like a steamy rainforest after the “drought-busting” rain. Our downstairs neighbors had strongly requested that I put “liners” under my pots because when I watered, dirt drained on their patio carpet. I wondered, “What will they do when it rains?” Whatever might have dripped really wasn’t that big a deal, I knew, since ninety-five percent of my pots had “liners.” The neighbors were simply looking for a problem.

Nevertheless, I truly want to be a good neighbor (and I’d love to have some too!) so we invested in another “liner” to hold the remaining large pot over the edge of their carpet. Remembering Jesus’ teaching, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles,” (Matthew 5:41) we bought “liners’ for two pots in an area not mentioned. While I don’t like anyone “messing with” my garden, it’s right to discipline and “subdue” it as God told Adam and Eve to do. I want to live Jesus’ teachings in every area of life and I’m glad to have an opportunity to follow Jesus in serving my neighbors.

And now we’ve had ten to twelve inches of rain in forty-eight hours with more to come, the “liners” brimming over several times. I wondered what the neighbors would do when it rained… Will they cuss God, too?

No comments: