Gather Honey in Life!

So while visiting my grandkids, I was introduced to a new television show I had never seen. It is called Duck Dynasty. After watching it I knew why I had never watched it. But when you are with Grandkids, you will do anything—once. It is a reality show about an unusual family in Monroe. The family is what many would refer to as "redneck." Now one needs to understand that this can be a word of endearment to some. At times it seemed that it was a reality episode of the old movie, "Dumb and Dumber". Again, please do not read this as an uncomplimentary remark. I really believe that a part of the reality show wants this response!

This particular episode was about honey and bees. The boys (younger grown men) were out in the swamp in North La and came upon a huge beehive filled with honey. Their challenge was to get the honey in spite of the bees. The decision was made to create a long hose with the shop vac. They would suck the bees into the shop vac and then steal the honey. Needless to say, this ended in failure pretty quickly. So then one of them convinced the other that bees would not sting at night. After all, none of them could remember anyone being stung at night. That night, they made their way to the beehive. One of them would cut the branch holding the beehive and another would catch the honeycomb. Needless to say, bees DO sting at night. Finally they make their way to the dad with their stories of failure.

The dad takes the youngest grandson with him the next day. The grandson blows some smoke around the beehive to keep the bees calm as the dad gently puts the honeycomb into a container. No swarming. No stings. Only honey.

Sometimes gentleness and grace are the greatest tools we have to gather the honey of life. Harsh actions or reactions only create more swarms that can harm everyone. The opportunity to respond as Christ would respond is a gift of the Spirit.

I know it is hard to believe, but there are some folks that simply do not care for me. Don't laugh too hard, it is true about you too! This past week I received probably the harshest letter I have ever received in over thirty five years of ministry. This person thought it was necessary to "dress me down" in every way. Now there is a part of me that remembered the old adage, "Sticks and stones may break…"—you know the rest of it. But there was another part of me that felt the pain of each word. After all, we all want to be liked. Then I remembered what I know to be truer than I want it to be---hurt people hurt people.

So I made the decision to tell Jesus about how the words hurt me. I asked God to help me change what needed to change for my witness to be faithful if indeed it was not faithful. Then I spent some time praying for the person who wrote me the letter. That is all that I will do to answer the letter. Harsh reactions only create more swarms in life. I will choose to focus on those whom God has given me that I will nurture.

Gather the honey of life with gentleness and grace.

Pray for me as I pray for you!