Timothy 4:4 “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving.”

My granddaughter was reading to her nephew and niece the other day. The story included a firefly (or lightning bug as we called them in the Midwest). Of course my grandchildren have never seen such an insect so I tried to explain what they are and why they light the night. Which caused me to remember an incident many, many years ago.

I was a camp counselor at a small Christian camp and this particular year I had the executive director staying in my cabin with about thirty young campers. Everything was going along fine until one evening I returned to find a couple of young men with a jar full of blinking bugs. I do mean full there were literally hundreds lighting up their new home.

The guys wanted to take the insects into the cabin yet I knew the director was rather grumpy about his rest. As we were talking about the possibilities the executive happened to overhear us, strolled over and said, “Now, now, let all God’s creatures live,” and walked away. We were confused for a time then mutually agreed this meant the bugs could stay.

After lights out it seemed I had worried for no reason when blink, blink. The director grumbled, “Cover them!” Well, what happened next is that all God’s creatures got in the act. The room literally flared with a greenish light and we could hear the rumbles clear across the room. “Jump on them, stomp on them, do anything just get rid of them.” Of course the moral to this story is: The insects were fine to have around until they began to “bug” him. (I can hear you groaning around the world).

You know this makes a good story and I  know the principle is a little weak but lets be honest. The truth is many of us are into playing just such moral games. We love everybody…rich, poor, young and old, “let all God’s creatures live,” until demands are made upon us.

Of course God knows better, that is why the Bible makes sure we understand this concept of loving another is a demand. When poverty, abuse, hunger, children who need protected, when people cross our borders needing medical care when others start asking for attention we just might have the urge to say, “cover the issues”, stop bugging me and turn away.

We are drawing near thanksgiving and now is a good time to allow ourselves to be affected, to witness the needs, not turn away and state, “do anything just get rid of them.” Today pause and look around. Where could you help another along the path? Today don’t look away.

Keep going talk to you soon…