Reconciliation

The following story is a story that was sent through the Internet system. I have no idea who wrote the story or when it was written. It may have been making the circle around the Internet system for years or only a few days. It is a story about reconciliation between two people who have lived an argument. The story is touching and makes the point in a beautiful way. Read the story and enjoy it, and then keep reading a few thoughts of my own that serves as another real example of the need for reconciliation that is presented in this story written by an unknown author.

“BEAUTIFUL STORY OF RECONCILIATION

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed, without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart.


It began with a small misunderstanding, and it grew into a major


difference, and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter


words, followed by weeks of silence.


One morning, there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?"


Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor. In fact, it's my younger brother!


Last week, there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee, and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence. An 8-foot fence -so I won't need to see his place, or his face, anymore."


The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails, and the post-hole digger, and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."


The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day -- measuring, sawing, and nailing. About sunset, when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.


The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge... a bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, with handrails, and all!


And, the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched... "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge; after all I've said and done."


The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.


I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.” (Author unknown)





Need for Reconciliation


If arguments continue and brothers do not build bridges the consequences are world changing.


In today’s world the ancestors of Abraham are both the Israelis and the Palestinians. From Abraham came Isaac and Ishmael; Isaac through Sarah and Ishmael through Hagar. From these two sons came animosity and hatred, bloodshed and violence. The generations living today continue to fight each other and keep conflict alive with the Palestinians vowing to eradicate the Israelis from the face of the earth and the Israelis through force trying to prevent that from happening.


Even while living Isaac and Ishmael opposed each other. Isaac being the son of promise from Sarah and Ishmael being the product of Sarah’s and Abraham’s impatience, Ishmael was scorned and driven from the family of Abraham. Because of the strife the family was separated and began fighting with itself.


Through the centuries the ancestry has fought countless battles that has resulted in tens of thousands or more killed and injured. Peace has not been possible for hundreds, even thousands of years. The sons of Abraham have been enemies all that time. There was one time, however, that Isaac and Ishmael did build a bridge to join each other to come together as brothers.




We are given that account in Genesis 25:


“Abraham lived a total of 175 years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite.” (Genesis 25:7-9)


Isaac and Ishmael had been enemies even during the time Abraham was alive; but when Abraham died these two brothers who had fought for so many years laid down their weapons to join together in peace to bury their father. The original heads of two nations, Israelis and Palestinians, joined as one to accomplish a peaceful task. The common bond was their father who had given them life and name and identity. Their respect for him allowed them to forget their differences for a season to join a common cause and carry out a task of unification centered in their father.


As the 21st century world watches the Middle East conflict between this ancient family, God is watching as well. As Kings, Presidents and Prime Ministers have tried to negotiate peace between this fighting family, bringing brother back to brother, as Isaac and Ishmael once did, the watching world knows that it is unlikely. The only way this will happen is the way God has intended in the first place.


The Carpenter who builds bridges has already come. He has built that bridge and millions have accepted that reconciliation and have discovered the saving grace and peace the Carpenter offers. One day when God says it is time the Carpenter will appear in clouds and establish a peace between a fighting family, and I wonder if somewhere in the background men will see a scene of Abraham standing with Isaac and Ishmael shaking hands or perhaps embracing with tears streaming down their faces.

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Biblical personalities and change

The Bible is filled with examples of people who experienced significant personal changes in their lives. Change has been inevitable from the very beginning. Significant events cause people to react in some way and change their attitudes or their behavior in response. Beginning with Adam and Eve, who were living in a paradise garden, with a face-to-face relationship with the Creator. When they chose to sin against Him, their lives were changed drastically. Other notable persons in our Biblical history experienced changes in their lives that set them on a different course, mostly uprooting them from their comfort zones into the unknown. Some personalities include Noah, Joseph, Moses, David and Daniel.

Noah

Of course most people have heard of Noah and the ark. God had decided to destroy the inhabitants of the earth and chose Noah, who found grace with God, to build an ark to save himself, his family and a representative sample of the earth’s animals. A world-wide flood was promised and Noah spent 120 years preparing for that day that began the most drastic change in his life.

Joseph    

Joseph had lived an almost pampered life of a favorite son from a dotting father. That produced jealous brothers who decided to get even with him. One day his life, as he had experienced it, came to an end when his brothers sold him as a slave. He was passed around as a slave in Egypt and lost the family ties for many years to come.

Moses  


Moses had lived in the palace in the position of a son of the daughter of Pharaohs. His was a life of ease and comfort with a powerful family that ruled the nation and provided him with every desire. One day he discovered his heritage that resulted in his being banished from the wealth and luxury he had been accustomed to.

David  


David had been a simple shepherd watching over his Father’s flock when he was chosen by a prophet from God to take on the mantle of royalty. But being chosen did not set well with the current Monarch who had fits of rage and tried several times to kill David.

Daniel  


Daniel was minding his own business when his country was conquered by a foreign country. The result of that military conquest was Daniel being removed from his family and country and carried off to a foreign land where everything was different.







What did these men have in common?


Great Personal Faith


First and foremost, each of these men recognized that the Creator God was present and required their personal worship and obedience. They yielded to His leading and continued to pray and seek his strength. There was never a “blame-game” played that focused an anger against their Creator that accused God for the catastrophes they experienced. They remained faithful and sought Him in their daily lives.


Patience and Endurance to Face Adversity


For 120 years Noah kept building the ark to accomplish the task that God had given him to do. Joseph spent an adult lifetime serving others and making preparations to ultimately receive his own family as God was working in history. For 40 years Moses prepared for his “burning bush” experience, as he shepherded for his father-in-law. David waited from his teenage years to adulthood living through many trials barely escaping death to establish the experience and patience necessary to ultimately wear the crown. Daniel grew to maturity in captivity in a foreign country constantly honoring the God of Israel and maintaining his allegiance to Him.


Making Right Choices


Each man had choices to make in his daily life; and each man continued to make the right choices from within a perspective of love and devotion to the God he served. Many times from the taunting of evil men Noah could have put down his tools and reconsidered if he had heard his orders right from God. But instead, he chose to keep on working and doing what he knew was right, and in perfect faith in God’s word. Joseph could have more than once become bitter or subsumed to sexual sin, or worse, turned away from God as his source of strength. But he kept on with his integrity and made the choice each day to submit to his Father in heaven. When it came time for Moses to return across the desert to Egypt and face his adopted step-brother and rival, the Pharaohs of Egypt to ask for the Israelite slaves to be freed, he ultimately chose God’s strength and guidance and headed toward the task. Many times David could have killed Saul and ended the running and torment from his advisory, but he chose instead to remain faithful to his God and let vengeance remain rightfully with Him. Likewise, Daniel could have decided to blend in with the King’s court, reject the Hebrew’s Living God and find immediate gratification. But instead, Daniel chose to make the challenge to the King of the mighty foreign land and demonstrate the strength and superiority of the God of Israel.


Likewise we each have decisions and choices to make each time adversity of significant change comes our way. Our first response might be to charge ahead with revenge, blame or denial; but the greater we stand in the shadow of the Almighty and submit to His guidance and strength, the more we will experience His Wisdom and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

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Thirty things that make people happy

Love and relationship

Good health


Family


Knowledge


New birth


Security


Freedom


Choice


Comfort


Hard work


Accomplishment


Personal meaning


Satisfaction


Community


Ownership


Variety


Managed risk


Excitement


Adventure


Exploration


Newness


Enough


Reaching forward


Fulfillment


Pleasant memories


Completion


Agreement


Routine


Control


Faith

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Explore alternatives

As with all movements that get started, there is usually a seed of disappointment that nudges someone to look for alternatives. Looking for different solutions has been a characteristic of humans throughout history. Dissatisfaction with a condition sparks a change that usually leads to doing things differently and reaching different consequences.

During these conditions the American people seem to polarize themselves in such a way that leads to taking stands in opposition with each other. Groups in opposition begin to form and arguments ensue that sometimes births a movement that reaches out to people to join their respective cause. The most recent movement was the Tea Party Movement that seemingly was the antithesis to the liberalism that resided in the Democrat Party.


The country seemed to formulate a stand against the trend toward the growth of the Federal Government under the Democrat Party’s leadership in the White House and the Congress. Liberalism undergirded positions that led to creating the largest debt in the history of the United States. That was seen by the following actions from the Democrat government control:


• Taking over private industries from the private sector under the notion they “were too big to fail” and needed the support;


• Raising taxes to pay for social programs that depended on the federal government taking money from the so-called rich people to give it to those who were not rich;


• Further establishing so-called “bail-out” programs to give to banks to ensure that they did not fail;


• Growing the federal government to the extent that government job growth exceeded private sector job growth when unemployment hovered around 10% nationally;


• Establishing a nationalized health-care process that many believed mimicked European socialized medicine; and finally,


• The Democrat Administration and Congress allowing an earlier established federal tax reduction under the former Administration to expire at the end of 2010 thereby returning to a substantially higher tax rate for all Americans.


Part of the motivation for the movement that created the Tea Party was non-partisan behavior exhibited by the Democrats in passing legislation formed in closed-door fashion without the active involvement of Republican House and Senate members and without a single Senate Republican vote. The citizen outside the political fray began to feel isolated and unrepresented by their leaders. Consequently both Presidential and Congressional confidence from “We the People” plummeted.


Another contributing factor to the movement was created by the liberal media and political forces’ negative reactions to the conservative voices of the “Talk Radio” group like Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Sean Hannity. Likewise to the conservative television Fox Network that was charged with bias against progressive ideas and the Democrat’s leadership.


In a reaction mode the conservative voices began to blend in unison to counteract the liberal voices that continued to call for more spending, more takeover of private industry, more federal control of people’s lives, higher taxes and more distribution of wealth from the so-called “rich” to the “poor.” From that set of voices across the land the Tea Party Movement was born.


A time for listening


Perhaps now is a time for dialogue with listening. The mid-term elections are now over and there has been a slight shift in the balance of power in Washington, D.C. The Democrats are no longer in total control, the Republicans have achieved the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the American people are continuing to be polled by the pollsters who say the sentiments remain strong for a turn toward conservatism.


From an American citizen’s perspective I would like for the loud voices trying to speak over everyone else just to sit down and listen to sound rationale and logic as it is spoken from both sides. Rush, Glen and Sean speak rationally and cogently from the conservative side. We now need someone from the liberal or progressive side to enter the airwaves and speak rationally and cogently from the liberal side.


The American people would like to hear someone bring logic and reason to the table and state the advantages to our National Interests from both philosophical positions.


From the Liberal side of the issue the Democrats, or progressive persuasion of that Party, should rise up a spokesperson to articulately state in understandable terms the advantages of the liberal implementation of various policies. For example:


• Explain in a logical fashion the advantage to the American National Interest why it is a good thing to have the federal government assume control over private industry and fire the Chief Executive Officer of that company. It needs to be explained why America’s Capitalism with its free-market economy will survive if the federal government chooses what to nationalize, when to nationalize and the reasons for assuming control.


• It needs to be explained from the liberal perspective the advantages to our National Interest why there has to be a build-up of more massive governmental bureaucratic social systems to increase debt, redistribute wealth and grow government.


• It needs to be explained from the liberal perspective the advantages to our National Interest what a massive federal debt that goes beyond generations of resources will provide for us to make us more prosperous. In our individual families we have discovered that high debt tends to lead us to a point of losing everything through bankruptcy but never brings prosperity. How does a collection of individuals use that economic method and remain solvent over the long term?


• Lastly it needs to be explained from the liberal perspective the advantages to our National Interest how individualized medical care will be enhanced by the federal government taking individual choice away and replacing it with a decision-making board to decide all aspects in individualized health care.


I believe it would be beneficial if there could be a group of liberal, progressive spokespersons who would launch their own free-market, advertisement-based talk radio shows to articulately explain the practice of liberalism and how it would be an advantage to the National Interest of America and her individual citizens. Likewise it would be beneficial if the major networks would counter Fox News by rising up liberal voices to quietly, articulately, logically and thoughtfully espouse the liberal perspective to each of the conservative positions they believe come from Fox News.

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Veterans

They have been called Doughboys, leathernecks, G.I.s, Troops, Dogface, Army, Air Force, National Guard, Navy, Marines or Military. They are sometimes referred to as Armed Forces. More recently for those who served in the last World War, they were referred to as “The Greatest Generation.” They have fought to free our country from tyranny from British rule in the Revolutionary War, preserved a splitting nation during the Civil War, repelled foreign domination in two World Wars, fought communism in Korea and Viet Nam, freed a friendly nation from invasion in Dessert Storm, toppled a dictator and helped build a nation of freedom in Iraq and fought to destroy avowed terrorist extremists in Afghanistan.

After serving sometimes years in the most difficult circumstances of life that separates from family, creates hardship, forging lifelong bonds, being removed from American soil to hostile lands, sacrificing body and limb, even to the ultimate sacrifice of life, the separated military person now is simply a Veteran.


Veterans return home sometimes intact, other times broken, but in most instances in high spirit. A Veteran is a person who was your high school buddy, your grocery clerk, insurance salesman, or perhaps you physician or banker. No matter what profession or job Veterans are all around us because there has always been a need for men and women to serve their country.


Service to their country is what they have done. They served on ships, in airplanes, tanks, jeeps, hummers, helicopters, trucks and on foot. They have given their word and taken an oath to protect and preserve “our way of life” in the United States even to the point of dying to allow each of us to remain free. They have marched through mud and fire, eaten swill, frozen in foxholes, fried in desserts and been eaten by mosquitoes in the jungle. They have been in grave danger under enemy fire, tortured by enemy as captives, and sustained emotional trauma as they have been aware of their loved ones at home suffering on wages that sometimes qualified them for welfare. And yet for some of them even though their tour of duty finished and provided opportunity to return to American civilization, they have stood tall and marched right back into the “hot zone” for another tour because of their sense of honor and duty.


On Veterans Day you will notice them; they will stand out. The Veterans will be the ones whose hands are firmly planted over their hearts when the colors pass by during the parade. Their stand will be straight and tall to the extent they are able as the National Anthem is played at the game. You will notice them as they quickly wipe a falling tear as the names of fallen comrades are read at the memorial service. You might see one standing alone in the middle of a National Cemetery by a White Cross or Star of David, with head bowed, standing at parade rest.


When you see them or notice them, watch them for a moment or two and remember as best you can the sacrifice they made for you. You are able to walk the streets of America free, live the American dream, relish the full rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States because that man or woman stood on foreign soil, faced the onslaught of the full force of a powerful enemy and stood his or her ground…all of it in your place so you could remain free. If the situation is right, move toward that Veteran, take his or her hand in yours and simply say “Thank you.”

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Don’t confuse me with facts

Someone has said that it is difficult to understand how so many people in the world today could hear the Gospel of Jesus and yet turn away and not accept Him as their personal Savior.

Let me ask a question: Why did the Children of Israel continually turn away from the God of the Universe and fall into idolatry? Did they not either see firsthand or at least hear from a reliable source, their Scriptures, that God is God, the great I AM?


Did they not see?


God parting the sea for them to cross over on dry land;


The pillar of fire at night and the pillar of cloud at day;


The manna and quail for food while they were in the desert;


The power and rumblings from the mountain when Moses was retrieving the commandments;


The water flowing from the rock when Moses struck it with his rod;


The rod of Moses blooming when it had been a dead stick for years;


The saving of their first-born when those in Egypt lost their first born;


The saving of eight righteous in an ark when the rest of the world died; and,


The mighty works of God as He fought for the Israelites in many battles when the odds of them winning were staggering; yet they did anyway because He fought for them and delivered them.


Again, a question: Why did the Jews not believe that Jesus was the anointed one when they witnessed so many things that were contrary to the law of nature?


People witnessed blind people being restored to sight or being given sight for the first time in their lives.


People witnessed deaf people being restored to hearing.


People witnessed miracles that Jesus performed by having lame people walking again, or walk for the first time.


People witnessed miracles that Jesus performed by touching people and them being healed of other diseases.


People even witnessed Jesus demonstrating His power by raising people up from being dead, even after days of being dead and already buried.


And yet with all the evidence that He was Christ, the people disbelieved and turned away from Him.

So how is it any different now? We have one fact after another and people will not accept it. If it happens once it is happenstance, twice it is planned; but more than that it becomes a pattern. It seems obvious that millions of people in world history have listened to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and accepted Him as Lord and Savior. Yet with millions of others even in the face of the worship of Jesus for millennia, will turn away in unbelief. It must be a human condition to believe what you want to believe regardless of any substantiating facts to the contrary.

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Quitting smoking is profitable

Some people find it difficult to quit smoking cigarettes and find little motivation to do so. Even though the cigarette package bears a warning to one’s health, it still does not seem to be significant enough to eliminate smoking. Perhaps it is because a person feels healthy and smoking is incremental…one cigarette at a time. A person usually does not feel any worse after smoking only one cigarette.

Monetary cost


The other side of the incremental perspective however, could be the cost associated with smoking. A package of cigarettes usually comes in a package of 20. A package of a popular brand of cigarettes will cost approximately $5.20. The following incremental breakdown of the cost is surprising.


If a person smokes one package of cigarettes per day it will cost $5.20 in that one day. That does not seem like a lot, and if it is only an incidental cost it is not that much. However, in the incremental perspective at the end of a week the cost of smoking a pack a day is $36.40. Examine the following table:


Month = $156.00
Year = $1900.08
5 Years = $9500.40
10 Years = 19,000.80
15 Years = $28,501.20
20 Years = 38,001.20
25 Years = 47,502.00


Hmm…one pack a day costs $47,502.00 in twenty-five years. That is assuming that the government will not increase the tax on cigarettes over the next 25 years. Over forty-seven thousand dollars could go a long way toward paying off a mortgage. Remember, incrementally is only one cigarette at a time.


Health cost


Of course the cost has to include the health aspect as well. Lighting up a cigarette and inhaling the smoke into our lungs has been shown to be directly linked to significant health risks. In one day for the pack-a-day smoker is of course 20 cigarettes. The number increases to 140 in a week. Examine the following table:


Month = 600
Year = 7308
5 Years = 36,540
10 Years = 73,080
15 Years = 109,620
20 Years = 146,160
25 Years = 182,700


Wow! In twenty-five years the smoker has burned up $47,502 and has also smoked 182,700 cigarettes.


Investment cost


Another cost to consider is the loss of potential investment earnings. Consider the magic of compounded interest especially from the incremental perspective. Any calculation Table will demonstrate the potential earnings of saving the cost of a package of cigarettes.  By saving the $5.20 per day in a compounded savings account at 3% compounded interest it will yield approximately $70,382.58 in twenty-five years. Of course the potential savings could be even greater if the $5.20 per day were invested in other forms of earning potential stocks or bonds.


Summary


By quitting smoking a person can earn and save at the same time over the next twenty-five years of their life. By not smoking any more cigarettes and instead investing the cost of the package of cigarettes over the next twenty-five years, the smoker will have…


• Not smoked 182,700 cigarettes and will likely be much more healthy;


• Not spent and burned up $47,502 over the same period of time; and,


• By investing the cost of cigarettes that would have been spent by continuing to smoke, the non-smoker will have approximately $70,382.58 to spend on other things.


What could be more of a motivation to quit smoking and avoid the incremental effects of loss of money and health, and at the same time gaining the incremental effects of compounded interest investments?

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