Recently I visited with two women in the same morning. After the visits I was struck by their similarities and an amazing difference. Both women are over the age of 70, widowed, with children and grand-children they are concerned about, and are in positions of providing care for others in their family. They both have health problems that prevent them from doing all the things they want to do in life. Two women who have lived long lives with both joys and sorrows, pleasures and pain.
In talking with these women I was amazed at one difference between them. One woman was rather bitter, wondering why her life was in such a dismal state. The other was reaching forward, trying to discover what else God has in store for her life. After talking with these two women, you would notice the difference as well. Some would likely tell you that the difference was simply church attendance, for the bitter woman has not darkened the door of the church in more than two decades. The other woman is a regular attender. But I think the difference runs deeper than church attendance. Others might suggest that the difference is a classic case of optimism versus pessimism, one seeing the glass half empty, the other convinced it is half full. Again, I think there is something more important going on.
What then do I think the difference is? It is simply faith. One woman trusts Jesus, talks with him, and listens to his voice. She is not perfect but she is still maturing. The other woman got enough of religion to last a lifetime, but unfortunately she was never in love with Jesus. Her lack of faith (and it's accompanying fruits) is obvious in her life.
There was a point in both life's when decisions were made about trusting Jesus. One said "yes" and the other "no". Everything else is just the result of that decision lived out daily. What are you saying to Jesus?
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