I love that they all overlap. Seeking the kingdom first opens up the way to love more fully, live more abundantly and all the other good stuff.

Today SEEKING led me to helping a homeless man on the street. Putting God first wouldn’t allow me not to make this stranger brother a priority. And putting God first helped me see that this man is God’s child first and foremost…and not a charity case.

A

“We shall have a contest,” said the Sun.

Far below, a man traveled a winding road. He was wearing a warm winter coat.

“As a test of strength,” said the Sun, “Let us see which of us can take the coat off of that man.”

“It will be quite simple for me to force him to remove his coat,” bragged the Wind.

The Wind blew so hard, the birds clung to the trees. The world was filled with dust and leaves. But the harder the wind blew down the road, the tighter the shivering man clung to his coat.

Then, the Sun came out from behind a cloud. Sun warmed the air and the frosty ground. The man on the road unbuttoned his coat.

The sun grew slowly brighter and brighter.

Soon the man felt so hot, he took off his coat and sat down in a shady spot.

“How did you do that?” said the Wind.

“It was easy,” said the Sun, “I lit the day. Through gentleness I got my way.”

Here is a poem that I wrote today.

Fresh and crisp as sunlit snow

The Christ lights and warms

With fiery glow

Soft and downy as baby bird

The Christ comforts and cuddles

With tender word

Bright and sparkling as ocean blue

The Christ cheers and soothes

With touch so cool

Tasty and ripe as harvest fruit

The Christ feeds and fills

With grace and truth

Quickly or slowly as I need

The Christ plants and grows

And gardens me

I really cared about my friend. I did not want him to get in trouble. Or get hurt.

After some time thinking, I pointed out the container and said “that’s dangerous. Don’t do it. Please”. In response he looked at me with steely grey eyes. I grabbed the little box and went outside to the dumpster and threw it away. He didn’t stop me. He sat silently.

The next day I did some research on the internet and printed out the state laws on possession of marijuana. I left them on the desk. In passing I said “it’s illegal you know.” No comment. On the computer I noticed that he had been researching how to smoke pot “safely”.

Suddenly the image flashed when he had come charging in the back door at Christmas time, and had run past all of us to flop down on the bed and pass out, moaning.

My body started to ache. And droop. I thought I knew my friend. He went to Sunday School. But maybe not.

I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to talk. I started to get agitated and thrash about. I pushed the door open to his room and shook him awake. “If I can’t sleep you can’t”, I said. “I’m upset. What’s going on”. I sat on the edge of the bed and out poured my fears. My concerns. My earnest pleas. He was very quiet. Then he mumbled “…otherwise I am all by myself”.

I slumped to the floor and sat with my knees to my chin and the tears poured out.  I couldn’t stop crying. I was afraid.

And then I heard him crying too.

I went to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He pulled me in for a hug.

After a long while I started to sing softly.

O gentle presence, peace and joy and power….

I could feel the pain and the angst and the trembling within him. The fight within his thinking.

And then the mighty effort it took for him to decide.

Through the tears the words fought their way out of him. “This is going to stop. Now.”

The night grew still. It was over.

Over.

No more need to be clothed in pot.