Choose

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 7:7-12)

Ask, seek, and knock.  However, do we receive and find?  Is the door opened for us?  Fortunately, the door is easily found and is always ajar when we follow Jesus.  That’s a fact.  We only have to push it open, although many of us won’t put our shoulders into it.   We’re too timid because much is asked of us when we cross the threshold.

Some of us are on the other side of the door with a chair under the knob.   We want it kept closed.   We’d rather give our son a stone or a snake.  We’re the ones with cold hearts refusing to yield out of self-pity, anger, or simply fear of the unknown.  Who is on the other side of that door – friend or foe?

This Lenten season we have a choice: turn them away or welcome them into our homes.   Open our hearts or keep them closed.  Jesus’ command will help with our choice:  “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”

Deacon David Pierce