The Song Weaver: The Rest Of The Story

God teaches many different lessons in many different ways. Sometimes He teaches through Scripture, sometimes He teaches through circumstance, and sometimes He teaches by revealing Himself in nature. Sometimes, however, I am particularly stiff-necked, and at those times God brings people into my life who get it; those spiritual obstacles I refuse to overcome, they have already left behind. Through their experience and submission to Christ, God softens my own heart and shows me more about Himself. Bonnie is one such person.

I am a terrible student. I don't mean that I get bad grades; it's just that I am the chief of dawdling and taking shortcuts. My classmates often stare in amazement when I recount the harrowing tale of the all-night research paper, or shake their heads in disbelief when I explain that no, I did not in fact study for the test. Somehow, I have managed not to completely destroy my academic career through procrastination, but not to worry -- I can do that later.

I don't dislike school, really. In fact, I enjoy learning new things. My problem is that I do not live in tomorrow. If I did, I would certainly be most productive, for all my thoughts are directed towards planning and dreaming for the future. This tendency reveals itself even in small things; for instance, I often make "to-do" lists. By writing down all the things I ought to do, I grant myself a feeling of accomplishment. After all, I have a list. What could be more efficient and productive than a list?

The sad truth, however, is that I hold such agendas until the last minute, doing my work only when I have no time to spare and can no longer produce excuses to avoid my responsibilities. During class, I daydream about the coming years and what I will do with the knowledge I am supposed to be absorbing, only to leave the classroom and discover I have taken no notes and remember only scraps of my teachers' lectures. In my mind, life has always revolved around my destination, with its only question a persistent child's "are we there yet?"

Bonnie is a very talented young lady. She is a singer with a particular knack for Broadway musicals. She is a knitter with a love for the color turquoise. She is a speaker with a flair for making serious issues accessible to the listener. She is a chef with an uncanny ability to make me hungry simply by describing her creations. Perhaps most importantly of all, her heart is that of a true servant, with a burden for missions.

She is fifteen years old.

At such a young age and with such a presumably bright future, Bonnie has understandably struggled with the same issues I have: constant daydreaming and restlessness. Unlike me, however, she seems to have largely overcome these obstacles. In contrast with my bird-watching focus on the future, Bonnie lives in the present. She meets her responsibilities from day to day and tries to keep her eyes on the road. Rather than reserving her talents and her knowledge for coming years, she puts them to use as opportunities arise, blessing those around her in the here and now.

A lot of people (or maybe it is just me) tear themselves to pieces worrying about what Christ would have them do with their future. What we often forget is that He has not given us tomorrow or any promise of it. Instead, as the psalmist reminds us, this is the day the Lord has made, and we are to rejoice in it. We have no need to live in the future, for there is work to be done around us every day.

I have a lot of hopes for the future, a lot of goals. Too often, I allow myself to be consumed with mapping out ways and paths for myself, all in a vain effort to reach those goals. Christ says, however, that He Himself is the Way. If we would reach a worthy destination, we must be careful to follow the one worthy Way. To remain in Christ is to live each day rightly. It is not an easy path, but it is very simple: love the Lord your God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself. What better preparation for the future could we ask? After all, if we follow the path each day, we cannot fail to reach the destination Christ has prepared for us.

For now, I will find beauty in every day. I refuse to worry about the doors through which I'll walk in the future. When I reach those doors, I will knock and at that time they will be opened to me.