Each morning I retrieve the memory disk from our trail camera to see who or what visited us during the night. It time stamps the pictures. Last night at 10 PM a mourning dove took a bath in a water tray on our patio. Strange. Why? We have mourning doves at the water at all hours during the day but not at night. This must have been an avian woman at the well. In John 4 Jesus met a woman coming at noon to draw water. The other women came in the cool of the evening or morning to avoid carrying water during the heat of the day. She most likely did not feel very welcome when the others were there. Do I have an outcast dove?
Paul has some very specific counsel for us regarding people who feel left out. “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” Romans 12:16. Who do we invite to our homes? Who do we choose to sit near in church? Who during potlucks do we seek out? There is a real danger in following Paul’s counsel. We just might be condescending. “Look how wonderful I am. I eat with the masses!” Should we feel that way, they will know it. We can’t hide it. It is then that we need to remind ourselves that the King of Glory came to be one of us. Talk about lowering one’s self! That was the ultimate. See Philippians 2.
In almost every group there are those who feel unworthy. If we really want to be like Jesus we should seek them out and draw them into our circle of love.
Written by Roger Bothwell on April 27, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org