The Best Time
On a car trip back from the Oregon coast, the sky opened up and torrents of rain poured down on us. It pounded so hard we could barely see. The windshield wipers were going at full speed but they couldn’t keep up with the deluge. To make matters worse the wipers, especially the one on my side, were not doing their job as designed. They seemed to function well enough for the drizzle we typically receive in the Seattle area but couldn’t meet the demands of this heavy storm.
I knew the wipers were getting older and should have been replaced. The problem wasn’t the cost, or even the time but more of a low priority item that was out of sight and out of mind. Now my lack of initiative was catching up with me. When I needed the wipers the most, they couldn’t do the job.
Driving down the freeway, concentrating hard to see the vehicles and roadway through the storm, scanning for any and all clues I could get, I was reminded at every sweep of the blades of my failure to maintain the vehicle properly. I couldn’t replace them now, in the middle of the storm, I had to struggle through it as best I could and take care of the problem later when things calmed down.
Just like the responsibilities with a vehicle, our relationships need attention. This is especially important during the good times. How is your “maintenance program” with God? Are you taking time to make sure everything is in proper working order? Is your engine tuned, tires checked, oil and filters changed, or are you wasting time and energy allowing the essentials to slip by? When we invest time with the Lord we may not see the benefits until we hit the “storms” of life. But when we are fine tuned with God, we can weather the storms big and small with grace while growing closer to Him.
In the same way, building relationships with others during the everyday routine of life is vitally important. The best time to invest in our spouse, children and friends is now, before (or between) the impact of a storm. It starts with the words we say to ourselves about others, in our hearts when we are alone. Are you aware of the gifts God has invested in them and their positive character traits? Do you dwell on the good? Phil 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Are you taking time to encourage others, to listen to their hearts not just their words, letting them know they are accepted, loved and respected? Are we patching the broken heart as well as patching the scraped knee?
God will bring us many opportunities to “maintain” relationships, but we must look for and act on them or they will pass on by. Taking advantage of the humdrum routine of life by doing “little things” that may not seem important at the time, will build the needed resources so you will be able to see clearly through the storms that cross your path.
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