Blog 163 – 11.16.15

Some of the most encouraging words in the Bible are those I have chosen for the title of today’s blog. “I set before you an open door.” Sadly most people see life as a place of closed doors, missed opportunities, of walls and barbed wire fences. I heard a man say on TV the other night that The Statue of Liberty is this country’s symbol not a barbed wire fence. And my heart said, “Amen.”

We have become so afraid of the stranger, the refugee, the foreigner seeking a better life for themselves and their children. But the  greater reality is that friends are only strangers we got to know and the only enemy we have is Ego, our false and lower fearful self. I have thought often of the verse where we are told to pray for our enemies and those that mistreat us. I think the real reason we should pray thus is that we have no enemies only brothers. Reconciling brothers is I think the highest mission for any of us. Many Americans thrilled when President Reagan said to the Soviet Leader, “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.” And then rejoiced when he did. In the early 1960’s the Soviets built that wall because it was an embarrassment to them that so many East Germans were fleeing to the West.

Some may think me crazy and completely out of touch but I really don’t think building more prison, fences, and walls is the answer. I think building roads and bridges to bring people together is what we need. If we allow a few misguided and bitter brothers to make us fearful and distrusting of anyone that doesn’t look and act exactly like us, the Ego, Satan, our devilish or lesser nature has won and our higher or better self has taken it on the chin.

Lest it seem like, I’m being a “Debbie Downer” when I always intend to leave you with an encouraging word let me say for every fearful response the Great Lover of Our Souls whispers the eternal reminder, “Perfect love casts out fear and those who are yet afraid are not yet made perfect in love.” And for every seeming closed door God has a work around. To me the most amazing thing about the way LOVE works is that for every seeming muffed or missed opportunity there is still a work around.

A friend of mine gave a neighbor of her’s my business card advertising my blog. I said well maybe her friend would read my blog. My friend said oh she will because she is a writer and wishes she had written a book when she was younger. I replied, “She has more to write about now.” What are you waiting for, the door is open, come on in where all our highest and best dreams come true.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White