Good morning Boys and Girls.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that any plans we make in our lives are subject to God's whims.

Am I blaming God? Heavens no. When I say "God's whims", I simply mean that things happen beyond our control. Since I'm one who doesn't believe we can ever know what God thinks or really wants for us, or even what or who God is, let alone how he/she/it works, I don't have any problem accepting this. Yes, I know there are those who think ancient books quasi-outline God's plans, but they never have and never will, despite the claims that these books are "God-inspired". I guess they think it's okay to believe a book inspired by God forces us to explain away that those very books indicate that slavery, misogynistic behavior, adultery and selective murder are, at times, all acceptable.

Further, people who "believe" with all their hearts what they've been taught, including those who've made a career out of fostering and furthering such beliefs in others, are forced to cherry-pick from the very books they claim have been divinely inspired. Some claim that a passage means one thing, while others claim the same passage means something else altogether, or, in some cases, has no meaning and can be largely ignored. To me, and many like me, this leads to sadly funny results.

In 1994, Mother Teresa spoke at the National Prayer breakfast. She began her remarks with these passages: "On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"

To me, if there's any truth whatsoever in the Bible, how on earth can we ignore these words?

From the NIV Bible online:

Matthew 5, 38-48

³⁸"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. ³⁹But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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I know very few Christians who heed these words. They're very big on the "getting saved" thing, but that's because that silliness is easy. -Makes people feel good and allows them to stop asking the unanswerable questions. But, ask them if Jesus meant what he said here, and they'll dance around the simple directives as though they're poisonous as anthrax and more confusing than a pure white 5000 piece puzzle.

Personally, I don't know if Jesus ever said these words. Certainly there aren't any mountains in the part of Galilee where he supposedly spoke them, but, to me anyway, these are the most important ones he is ever reported to have said.

Wow, did I ever get off track from what I'd planned to write about.

No matter.

Be good to everyone.