I have written several blog posts in my head the last few weeks.  There has been so much going on.

Tonight I was leaving a meeting at an organization where I sit on the board of directors.  It was a little after 6pm and I was tired and ready to get home.  I’ve been working or at meetings every night this week.

As I walk down the sidewalk and approach the corner I see the red hand that tells me not to walk.  It’s a oneway street and I’m looking to my right waiting for that break in traffic to run across the street.  Then I hear the lady standing next to me with her little boy.  He is about 4 years old, I’m guessing.  She is telling him to hold her hand, there are so many cars and they are going fast.  She is teaching her little boy the correct way to cross a street safely.  She tells him “we have to wait for the man” to come up (and why is is not a woman?  that can be another blog topic).

I stopped.  I thought about the role model I want to be for my own kids and their friends and my friends kids.  I want to do what is right. I reflected back to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when I was a teenager.  I remember my friends who had parents that drank all the time, who cussed and were mean, I even remember the parents who (gasp this is a Christian blog) smoked pot.

But I also remember the adults I knew growing up that were kind and thoughtful and had good hearts.  I remember the adults who treated me as their own and I remember the adults who wanted to adopt me.

James 2:8 tells us “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.”

But how do I know what is right and what is wrong anymore?  A couple of days ago I came across a post on Facebook on the “Common Sense”  page.  This post talked about the upcoming presidential election and how in the grand scheme of things, its not going to matter who gets to live in a big, white house for the next 4 or even 8 years.  But it will matter how I treat my neighbor.  It will matter what I teach my child and what I teach that little boy standing with his mom next to me on the corner.  We all make choices each and every day.  And the young people in our world are watching us like a hawk.  Can you say with confidence you are proud of ALL of your choices and are comfortable with your kid watching you?  I can’t.  But, I can work on it.

What can you do to make a difference in someone’s day?  Be kind and love you neighbor.  There is enough crazy in the world that we don’t need to add to it with our somewhat skewed political agendas and beliefs.  Vote for whoever you want. You don’t need to tell me.  Because you know who I vote for?  Jesus Christ.  At the end of the day he is all I need.  I am choosing to put my energy and focus on something that truly matters to me and will make a difference in my life.

And you know I waited to cross the street until the little man came on the signal and told me to.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

#thegraytlife