Taking the Long View

There is an old apocryphal story about a young girl named Sarah. One day little Sarah was laying on a hill in the middle of a meadow on a warm spring day. Fluffy white clouds rolled by and soon, she began to think about God. “God? Are you really there?” Sarah said out loud.

Much to her surprise, a voice came from the clouds. “Yes, Sarah? What can I do for you?” Taking advantage of the opportunity, Sarah asked, “God? What is a million years like to you?” Knowing that Sarah could not understand the concept of infinity, God responded in a manner to which she could relate. “A million years to me, Sarah, is like a minute.” “Oh,” said Sarah. “Well, then, what’s a million dollars like to you?” “A million dollars to me, Sarah, is like a penny.” “Wow!” remarked Sarah, getting an idea. “You’re so generous… can I have one of your pennies?”

God replied, “Sure thing, Sarah! Just a minute.”

The story is funny. And, it is a good reminder that God’s timing and our timing are not one and the same. In our culture, we’ve become accustomed to being able to get what we want when we want it. But I have long been reminded that the best things in life take time and hard work to develop. Things like meaningful relationships, skill at a craft, and character don’t just happen overnight. But I try to remember that with consistency, there is a compounding effect. It is helpful to me sometimes to step back and take the long view both in terms of personal growth and in terms of our ministry here on earth.

Archbishop and 20th Century Martyr Oscar Romero once wrote: 

This is what we are about:

 We plant seeds that one day will grow.
 We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
 We lay foundations that will need further development.
 We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
 We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
 This enables us to do something and to do it very well.
 It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
 an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.

Let us pray: Loving God, help us to trust that you are at work in our lives and in the world even now, and show us the ways in which we can share in this holy labor. Amen.