Showing the Way

I still often think about my grandfather. He was a Presbyterian pastor, and he died before I had a sense of call to the ministry. 

I remember when I was in my teenage years and away from the church, I would sometimes talk to my grandfather. I would say things like, “Popsi, I worship God when I’m surfing. I believe in God, but I don’t believe in organized religion.” And my grandfather listened patiently. He shared what he believed – and why. He answered questions without being condescending or judgmental. However, what struck me most, was his deep enjoyment of life. It was clear that what he believed and how he lived came from a deeper source. You could see it.

In his book Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller writes, “I never liked jazz music because it doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes and he never opened his eyes. After that, I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.”

I think about my grandfather, though he didn’t live to see it come to pass, was showing me the way.

Today I invite you to reflect on who it is in your life who showed you the way… and give thanks to God for them. And then, give some thought as to who it is who is looking to you, to show them the way.

Let us pray: We thank you, O God, for the people in our lives who made a positive impact on us, for those who taught us the faith through their very lives. We remember today that others are looking now to us. We ask for a sense of your deep peace and grace, so that our lives too might shine. Amen.