Today's Devotional

 

 March 17, 2009

                                                                                                                     

Subject:  Everyone's Irish On March 17th  

Philippians 2:9-11 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

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I remember as a young child, getting ready for school on the 17th of March.  I always ensured that I had something on that was green to prevent from getting pinched by others at school.  That was the rule; if you weren't wearing green on St. Patrick's Day, you were attacked with pinching by fellow students.  It was all innocent fun then, but later I came to realize that while we were socialized to join in and celebrate the Irish heritage, we do not have the same appreciation for many other cultural backgrounds represented in our country.  

During my military career, I was privileged to have traveled to many foreign countries.  During those travels I learned a lot about people in foreign lands.  I'll never forget the shoe salesman in Osan, Korea.  He not only looked like my dad, but he actually acted like my dad too.  Anyway, my travels taught me a great deal about other people, but I think I learned much more about me.  I learned that I had prejudices and biases against people that had never been exposed until I had an opportunity to live amongst those people.  Eventually, I came to appreciate all people and I think that has been the greatest thrill of my life, to see a world where everybody has the same desires and needs.

World leaders continue to talk about unity across cultural lines, but only God will bring true unity to this world and it will be in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.  

Today we can all unify behind the Irish and celebrate their ancestry.  Tomorrow perhaps, African, Asian, Malaysian, Caucasian or anything else, but the day is coming when we'll all be of one voice as we kneel before our Maker and proclaim that Jesus Christ Is Lord.  That won't be St Patrick's Day, it will be a day of rejoicing for all the Saints though for sure.  

Carlen