Under the Sun

All things come to all that live under the sun. Whether the days are spent in doing good, or doing evil, the rain falls on both alike. Justice does not always come speedily. In fact, justice runs from duty and finds reason to pass over the guilty. The innocent that have had to learn to accept their lot find that simple acknowledgement of the wrong done to them can be found no where in this living land. The rain and the sun to each alike, when the rain should wash and the sun should burn those who take into their hands the delicate life of another and smother it. But in this life we live by contrasts; we learn to ignore the painful words, remembering that we, too, have spoken curses to others. We learn to bless those that hurt us, to offer grace instead of threats, to extend a hand in friendship and forgiveness to one who has cast away our confidence in them. We take in again one who has deserted us; we learn to look beyond the external to the deep, human nature and the heart of all. Instead of wishing devastation for the wrong done to us, it brings healing to pray for gifts to be showered down on the one who has done the wrong. And where does the injured find their peace? Where in this land, shared by all, can trust be found again? Is there a fountain of healing, an oasis in this desert? In being trustworthy, we find the strength to trust again. In loving, we find the will to extend grace. In forgiving ourselves, we find we can offer that shaky, unsure, sometimes bitter hand to the one who has hurt us, and we  learn to forgive others. Life is full of dark and light to all.

Even in this, I find that we do well to seek justice, to bless others in thoughtful acts of caring, to remember our days are judged by One who is altogether lovely; who sees the things done in secret, who has perfect and unerring judgment; who's love for the human race extends any love we have known. And by Him all things will be made right; no evil work will be filed away in a cabinet and forgotten. He will avenge His own, and our hope can be safely rested in this. The works of man will one day be judged and awarded accordingly. Let us give this work to our Creator, then, and seek to win the very ones who have torn away our confidence in the goodness of the human race. Our days will be filled with thunder and floods, with dry, scorching heat, and with the uncertainty of living. Throw our confidence to heaven, then, and know this is a land we quickly pass through. We will soon go home. A home where the sun always shines.