This morning I saw several wonderful people. I saw a young woman whose small architectural firm builds bamboo houses in Bali, making sure the bamboo plant is cut off above the root so it regenerates quickly. Her "natural" houses blend beautifully into the environment.
A musician creates unique music from ordinary sounds - bike wheels traveling across the ground, the ping of tapped glassware. He has to sleep with earplugs because every sound enchants him.
A man tunnels deep into sandstone and builds huge underground caves, carving pillars and rooms and homes of exceptional beauty where people, he hopes, can know peace and know themselves and understand life. He works for a mere $12.00 an hour.
A man teaches two urban youths to make skateboards, because the boards bring people joy and a taste of Summer, and because he is teaching two boys HOW to work and how to enjoy work. Only two? He's asked. He smiles "If all I do in life is teach these two to lead lives productive for themselves and the community, that's enough."
Do you know how I felt this Sunday morning, seeing these exceptional people? I felt as if I were seeing through the eyes of God. You and I so often think about life with blinders on, seeing only the few lives around us, or the terrible scenes of murder, war, and tragedy trumpeted in the papers. But life - across the world - is so much greater than the small world we're aware of. People are so much greater - and diverse - and good - and creative - than we know. We just keep forgetting how small and limited our knowledge of life - and God! - is!
How often do we consider how many good things God has done - and is doing - for all of us? If we serve Him faithfully, He will always make all things work to the good for us. Because God is always at work in His world, through, with, and in His millions of incredibly good, diverse, creative people - blessing us, blessing all His creation. God is ALWAYS at work - even on Sunday!