October 24, 2019

Buzz sent the following devotional. I hope it means as much to you as it does to me.

“I read recently on the internet that if you eat right and exercise regularly, you can expect to live at least two weeks longer in the nursing home. Seriously though, I try to walk about 3mi. /day, or 20 mi. /wk. I do this at the mall, so no worries about the weather; no dogs no hogs, no cats no rats, no slugs no bugs, no pot holes to trip in, no vehicles to dodge.

The scenery however is somewhat less than riveting. So that fact, plus my fear of heights, stimulated significant interest when I saw two workmen setting up a 20 foot extension ladder. One was in his 40’s, heavyset and not very athletic looking. The other was in his 20’s and looked lithe and agile.

They set the ladder up very carefully, insuring that the folding braces were fully extended and the legs of the ladder were stable on the floor. Then the older man took a wide stance and extending his arms in a crucifix fashion, held the ladder steady while the younger one scampered to the top and began working on a ceiling vent.

It struck me that the older man had accepted the more humble lower position and in fact was risking injury or even death from a broken neck if the climber had fallen. John 15:13 tells us that “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (KJV)

Furthermore, I realized this was wonderful metaphor of Christian living. By means of the foot washing at the last supper, Jesus was “steadying the ladder” as he prepared the apostles for the difficulties that lay ahead by showing them that no task, however demeaning, should dissuade them from their mission. As members of the church, we can:

Steady the ladder for children from baptism to confirmation;

Steady the ladder for the youth as they deal with the stresses of the teen years;

Steady the ladder for those who are ill, scheduled for surgery, or working through chemotherapy;

Steady the ladder for people in a crisis of faith;

Steady the ladder for those battling drugs, alcohol, loss of jobs, or indebtedness.

Finally we can steady the ladder for each other as we endure the attacks of a world that continually tries to point us in a different direction.”

Prayer: Lord please give us open eyes, minds, and hearts so that we may appreciate and benefit from the daily messages with which you bless us. Give us the humility to benefit your kingdom in whatever way you direct, and help us to not value our contribution based on prestige, public opinion, or finances.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.

Tom Robbins