1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
Aloha and good morning, Craig and Erin, I love you!
I just finished my chores feeding our animals and oh how I would love to be there with you today to make you all some breakfast like I always did when you all were young. I remember it as if it was yesterday. If Erin wanted french toast, she got french toast. And if Craig wanted potatoes or sausage and biscuits, that’s what I would make for Craig. Nothing was too good for my children whom I love and whom I would do anything for. It was my way of showing you all how much I loved you, no matter what! That was a lesson I learned from my Grandma Campbell. I’m just imitating what Grandma always did for me and my brothers. My brothers and I learned that we were important and special to my Grandma. You both are important and special to me! Like 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
Today, Abednego, my goat. was naughty. He was a little too aggressive and rammed his head into my knee. It’s now swollen and I had to put ice on it. Abednego is fun to have around and I really enjoy being with him. But you really must keep an eye on him and watch your back. He is a goat, after all, not a dog. And goats do goat things, especially my Abednego, who is a young male goat. I keep Abednego down in the pasture that’s fenced in so he will not getaway. He stays with the chickens and ducks. When I first got Abednego, his first owner brought him over to my house and we led him to the pasture to release him. He was having fun, but the ducks did not like him at all. All the ducks grouped themselves together and stayed as far away from Abednego as they could. Their habit changed because of Abednego. Where the ducks normally came and followed me around, now they do not because of Abednego. Where the ducks normally stayed and sat somewhere in the shade most of the day, now they stay together out in the sun but away from Abednego. That first week, the chickens and the ducks did not come to their feeders and eat at all. I assumed they were so scared of Abednego. Poor guys! I was getting concerned for them.
The second week was much better and now the ducks and chickens are used to Abednego. Yes, he is annoying and does goat things to them, like running and chasing them just to have fun at their expense. But Abednego does not hurt them physically.
Abednego does the same things to me but is more aggressive at times if I am not careful. In the mornings, I go outside onto the lanai to put on my work shoes. Abednego hears me and sees me. He starts baying and baying; calling for me to come down and play with him. I know he’s not calling me to feed him. He’s a goat and goats eat weeds and grass. He has plenty of food. I go down there to feed my chickens and ducks. Abednego, that rascal, comes and pushes the ducks away so he can eat their food before the others get their turn.
To distract Abednego so he will leave the ducks alone, I lead Abednego to the backside of the pasture to the far opposite gate. While we are there, this gives the ducks a chance to eat without Abednego bothering them. I go to the lower field and cut branches of albizia trees for Abednego to eat for the rest of the day. While walking, Abednego follows me, but not as a dog does. He wants to play rough. As he comes running, he jumps up and lowers his head so he can charge and ram me with his head. Other times, as I’m walking, he is running around in between my legs and always gets in front of me and stops. I have to step over him or push him away, which he does not like. And then most annoying, he likes to jump up with his front split-hoves and put them on my shoulders so he can sniff and put his face in my face. He’s a great goat, but I have to watch him at all times.
In the same way, Christians must always be watchful at all times. Christ, in the garden of Gethsemane told his disciples to ‘watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.’ We also need to watch and pray for the same reason. Temptation is our enemy’s weapon to cause us not to trust God and his promises. The enemy, as the Word says, is like a lion seeking whom he may devour. This is an important lesson we must learn. Like I must keep a close and watchful eye on my goat, Abednego so not to be hurt. We, as Christians, must also be watchful so we do not sin, so we have a clean heart before our God, so we do not cause others to stumble into sin, and so we can glorify our God in everything we do or say. And finally, as the Scripture says, “Let all you do be done in love.”