Life here (and for most of the world) has had a drastic change forced upon us by a microscopic assailant. The resultant actions (or non-activity) has caused literal walls to be built between persons who normally would freely connect, communicate and hang together. Check-out persons for example are “imprisoned” behind their plexiglass walls while we wait six feet away from the next in line. Family gatherings and life event commemorations (such as graduations) have largely not been happening. The COVID-19 isolation has dramatically highlighted that being kept apart is not how we were designed to be.
Recent events in the US involving police officers and individuals are reminding us that many other long-standing walls are still solidly in place, and in some cases are being fortified. Relationships between persons are certainly not functioning well in many arenas of life.
My neighbor and I were discussing some of these issues this afternoon during a break from trying to catch up with runaway lawn growth. He was probing (as we should) why these things are happening? I was reminded that our Creator designed each of us special and important in His eyes, and desires that we believe and share that perspective with all those around us. This life view pertains to every relationship we are part of whether it be in our families, neighborhoods, communities, employers and employees, companies and their clients, and even the person we randomly meet.
I was facing down our street during this conversation and noticed a couple of police vehicles stopped several doors down on the opposite side. After some conversation with the residents there the officers were preparing to leave, and I then observed something rather remarkable. The neighbor next door to that house went over and after briefly talking with them he locked arms with two of the officers and had his wife take a picture. The photo was inter-racial, and so is the couple. What a beautiful reminder that when we embrace our Creator’s designs, we then have the foundations for His plan in our relationships as well.
