Beside still waters...

Last week my son Daniel came home with his first library book that he checked out himself. It's titled Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth. In it the main character is a large Panda named Stillwater. When he moves into a new neighborhood he meets three children that he befriends. As each sibling goes to spend the day with him he tells them a short story that has a teaching moment.

After reading the book to Daniel and talking a little about the meaning of the stories we started reading the book again. Then, all of a sudden Daniel exclaims,"I know that one!" and he proceeds to recite Psalm 23 until he got to the place where it goes "...beside still waters". I was amazed to realize that he not only seemed to understand why the author chose to call the main character "Stillwater" but that he made the connection with Psalm 23.

Since then I have been thinking about the areas in my life where I have a sense of increasing peace. It has also been a topic in my history classes as we discuss the Classical Empires of India, China, Greece, and Rome. They too sought peace and harmony in a variety of ways. They all had different belief systems or religions. Most people who study religion include Christianity as a religion, but at our school staff retreat last weekend the speaker made the comment that Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship and that those who claim to be Christains are definitely "counter culture".

Seeking peace and harmony is certainly not a new thing, but choosing to be part of a counter culture is far more acceptable today than it was before Jesus walked on this earth. In the ancient past, social order was maintained by getting rid of any who challenged it; that certainly held true in Jesus' time too.

Choosing to follow in Jesus footsteps continues to bring its challenges, but I also find that it brings tremendous peace. A few minutes ago Daniel was reciting Psalm 23 again as he continues to learn a little more each day. I invite you to take time to meditate over Psalm 23 again, and may you find refreshment as God refreshes you with still waters in your own life.

Dorthea