First Baptist Church of Beltsville
Finding Peace with God on the Hilltop of Beltsville
I suppose that I should begin by making a confession: I played hooky from work on Monday in order to go to the National Zoo in DC. There is little doubt in my mind that the lost time in the office will be made up, and the day spent with Erin and Micah was memorable and worthwhile. It was fascinating for me to watch Micah experience the animals in the zoo.
We almost bypassed the small mammal display thinking that there were bigger and better things to see. I am so glad that we went into the exhibit because our son stood transfixed by the meerkats. They were busy little creatures, walking rapidly from side to side in their man-made habitat. Micah leaned against the glass and watched in wonder as the little critters dashed back and forth in front of him. They were fast and busy, rarely stopping in their quest to do something, anything: Go, go, go!
Since the elephant exhibit is under construction, we feared missing the Asian pachyderms. Thankfully, we found a terrific vantage point from which we could see several of the giant beasts doing their elephant stuff. In contrast to the meerkats, elephants are very deliberate and slow in their movement. Micah was not put off by their leisurely pace, imagining that they were up to something after all.
In the meerkat and elephant I saw some of you. Maybe you feel like the little scurrying mammal, rushing from place to place in binding speed, only to realize that you must rush back again. It might feel as if you are accomplishing little in your hurry to do much. On the other hand, maybe you feel like the Asian elephant; playful, but slow in your deliberate lifestyle. You may not get as much accomplished, but you rarely get sidetracked.
The Lord has created you as a unique individual. If you favor the meerkat or the elephant, or if your speed and temperament are something altogether different, be the wonderful person that God created you to be. I suppose the most important lesson in all of this is that we should live life and serve God with our whole heart (see Colossians 3:23-24). Take some time to consider how the Lord has gifted you as an individual and thank Him for life. And, consider playing hooky for a day at the zoo. Though you may not want to confess it to your boss; they might not be as forgiving as mine!