Dear friends,
It’s Wednesday, that midpoint in the week when I find it the easiest to fall into my daily rhythm. We spend the great majority of our hours working, sleeping, and eating, taking care of ourselves and those in our houses. Shocking events, like what happened last weekend in Charlottesville or what is happening today in Tal Afar, Iraq, seem so far away and we easily focus on nearby problems with coworkers, friends, and family.
Complacency has a bad reputation: it can be a sign of deep selfishness, blinding us to the pain of others and making us reluctant to confront evil in ourselves or in others. But the sister of complacency is contentment, and that is something we wish on all people. Psalm 133 must be one of the shortest psalms of all time, only three verses, and it speaks to the richness found in our everyday lives when we can get along with those closest to us. No wonder we focus so much on the people we relate to on a daily basis.
So just because we don’t want to be complacent in the face of grand world events doesn’t mean we neglect those close relationships. And on the other side, just because we spend many days focused on work, sleep, and food, doesn’t mean that we don’t keep a greater vision of God’s peace for all the world in our heads, preparing and fortifying ourselves for when we may be called into action.
There is a rhythm beyond our daily rhythms, one that tells us to enjoy the small things in life but reminds us that in time we will be called to struggle with great things as well. Let this be a Wednesday of contentment more than complacency, of finding good things in our immediate surroundings, and allowing that goodness to nourish us in preparation for God’s work.
Blessings of health and happiness be with you all,
Andrew