Lean Not to Your Own Understanding

Sitting here early this morning thinking about God's love, God's patience, God's understanding, and, yes, God's kindness.

I participated briefly yesterday in a discussion on racism, violence, community, and other similar issues. I listened to the emotions, opinions, and beliefs of five other people, and each approached these subjects from their vantage point and view on life.

The thought occurred to me that most of us in that circle were NOT on the same page. Our views on violence are very different. Our views on racism are different. Our views on the community are even more different. However, our views on what we want from this life, community, and our police are strikingly similar.

We want love, and we want to be loved in return. We want to live in peace with one another and with our environment. We want to be safe and feel safe in our homes, schools, communities, and workplace. We want our children to experience a good life, one that we provide. We want to feel respected and accepted for who we are.

So, the question that I have thought about since leaving the discussion is if we are so much alike in what we want for ourselves and our loved ones, what is keeping us apart?

Could it be tolerance for someone else's perceived shortcomings?

Is it really just the color of a person's skin that brings out the violence in others?

Are economic standing and greed so crucial to our positions in life that we are unwilling to allow someone else experience the joys of life that we so desperately want and need?

Or is it really the lack of a standard set of definitions and ground rules that make sense and everyone should follow?
When like minds agree there is harmony.

That brings me full circle to God's love, God's patience, God's understanding, and, yes, God's kindness. If we lean not on our own understanding maybe, just maybe we could solve our world problems.

Here is where my answers came from today asIpondered the conversation.

Proverbs 3:5-6King James Version (KJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I am in the mood for God's love, God's peace, and God's understanding. What about you?

Peace and blessings always!