Humbled

‘I wrote to the judge and told him to give custody of my two grandsons to my son-in-law, their father. My daughter is not capable.’

Suddenly I could join the dots. I had been so outraged last week by this woman’s dismissive attitude towards the homeless, ‘I call them feral people’, and the addicts, ‘hopeless cases’, but circumstances had kept me mute. Now I was grateful to have kept my gut reactions quiet. Sharing the same house, we were beginning to know each other, and she trusted me with this profound agony she carries with her. Her daughter became an addict when she associated with a group of homeless people. 

There is a Proverb (18:13): To answer before listening – that is folly and shame. 

It is so easy to blurt out a retort or to argue a corner, convinced we are right, without ever listening. I am so grateful that the Lord has kept us silent so that trust could build and now, now I can see where the opinion has formed. Silently, I was judging her; praise God he is humbling me.

Today this couple who have taught us so much are going up to the Linn of Dee, the source of the River Dee. I pray that as they experience the beauty of the clear water bubbling up from deep underground, cold and fresh and unsullied, they will experience the beauty of Jesus welling up within them, the living water, cleansing the wounds and healing the hurts and restoring hope.

So grateful to have had this time. I have so much to learn from Jesus. What an exciting journey we are on!