Do you protect passionately what God has entrusted in your care?

This story swelled in my heart last fall as I walked the beach two days after Thanksgiving. The day was warm and sunny with a brisk wind ushering in a season of cold weather and warm hearts for the holidays. Harley and I walked as I talked aloud to the One who made the sunshine and sea sparkle before my eyes. The glistening sun cast shadows of fishermen’s poles and beach walkers. I wondered what stories the people I met would write during this season of thanksgiving and who would read them. I thanked God for the opportunity to write and share His stories with you . I thought of my family and prayed for our friends who became parents on Thanksgiving Day and our friends whose precious little one went to heaven the same day. I looked across the ocean and wondered what stories would be written by His children in countries where the freedoms and blessings we enjoy are endangered. I thought of my friend whose son celebrated Thanksgiving in Morocco while serving in the Peace Corp. Dear friends who had empty chairs around their table this year came to my mind. Whatever season we are in, spending time with precious family and friends should be protected passionately. I thought of how difficult it is for families to schedule gatherings and holiday celebrations, how doing ‘stuff’ (vague word with little meaning, which is exactly why I used it here) has replaced valuing time together, and how complacent, apathetic attitudes have endangered the passionate, personal protection that keeps families and friends closely connected to one another and to God. I walked in silence praying for my own family, for all families to feel protected and passionate about life, love, and living out loud for the Lord.

Harley broke the silence with a whimper and attempt to walk right up under me. A little dog stood on top of a sand dune like a monster with his barking and fierce behavior. Harley didn’t do a thing to protect me from the little dog. Harley towered over this intruder whose size was no indication of his ability to stir fear and friction. I wondered if the little dog would attack from behind, paused to calm Harley and continued walking and talking louder than ever. I thought of Goliath, so big and bold against attackers, until the little shepherd boy hurled stones and sent him crashing to the ground. It wasn’t David’s size that mattered; his passion for what he was called to do made the difference. A poem in our seventh grade literature book came to my mind about a robin who protected her young. The lyrics tell of a baby bird that fell from the nest and a mother who took immediate action to save her little one. Danger approached when dogs headed their way; the mother robin kept them away. She flapped her wings continuously and protected her baby passionately. The dogs recognized the determination in her eyes and left the baby bird because of the mother’s cries. This short poem teaches a huge lesson about protecting those we love, protecting people who need help, protecting the power of passionate love in a world where there’s just too little of it. That’s why my students spent time learning the lyrics and discussing the meaning of this profound piece of literature. It proves that size doesn’t matter nearly as much as does passion and believing in your cause. We may be small but our efforts and enthusiasm, our spirit of fight and freedom, our determination and creativity, our faith and force to stay passionate and persistent is big and bold when we stand firm and refuse to give up, give in, or give out. We will fight to the end for faith, family, and friends. The intriguing factor is how good triumphs over evil. Star Wars showed moviegoers the winning power of the good force. The Bible is filled with people who lived their faith passionately and saw good come from the bad for those who loved God. Good guys really do win in the end.

The best part of this story comes when those who stand strong through the tests and trials taste the sweet rewards of victory over the giants of the enemy that threaten to steal, kill, and destroy everything. The devil blows up the little things that can kill passion and divide families and friends forever. Each of you know sad stories of people who have allowed love and laughter to die in their hearts and homes over ‘stuff’ that won’t matter at all one day. What in this world could be important enough to cause people to stay away from loved ones and fail to protect them with passion? Could it be feuding over land boundaries or things left behind by parents whose passionate love for their children was lost in settling an estate? Could passionate love be poisoned by family members who allow the enemy to work schemes and enhance sins that divide and destroy? Could people stand by, cowering in fear over little things that come against family and friends, without offering protection?

What can we do to promote love in our world today? Why not read the story again that tells how little David defeated big Goliath. The details show how David went against the grain, people laughed and looked for his quick defeat, with him being a victim of scorn and ridicule. That didn’t deter David, who was totally committed to protecting and proving that His God was an awesome God. David knew the secret for sweet victory over anything that tried to steal his joy or go against his God. He believed strongly, loved passionately, and protected what was precious and priceless to Him without allowing anything to stand in his way or steal his blessing. The mother robin proved that size is no match for sizzling love. She never left her loved one, even when the enemy seemed bigger than life and death looked her in the face. She stood firm, fluttered her little wings, focused on saving her baby, faced the enemy with no fear and faced him to leave her family alone. When the enemy tries to enter, we must be alert and keep him out. What begins as little sins or situations grow to gigantic problems and predicaments that can cause love to be lost. Keeping passion alive and faith firmly rooted, the enemy can be defeated and love will rule the roost. Stand your ground and grow your love with passion and praise. Give God the glory and you’ll be happy in love for all your days!