A WIDOW ASKS: “WHAT DO YOU SEE?”
A
teacher held up before his class a large sheet of paper with a small
round black spot in the center, and asked, “What do you see?”
The
class answered as was expected, “A black spot.”
Even
though more than 99% of the sheet was white, it was the small black
spot that the class saw. Isn’t that typical of the way we look
at the life God has given us?
I
have been a widow for many years, having lost my wonderful Christian
husband after fourteen years of happy married life. Shall I bemoan
these years of widowhood or be thankful for the wonderful years we
had together and for the beloved son that I still have? Should I not
rejoice that God continues to love and care for me?
In
looking back over my life I can quote Paul’s reassuring words
with utmost confidence: “All things work together for good to
those who love the Lord.” Once when I was an ignorant, green
college sophomore I took off for Mexico with the idea of furthering
my education in a university there, knowing only one person in the
entire country who would be able to make it possible for me to do so.
But where would I find her? I “happened” into a hotel
where this one person I knew “happened” to be using the
telephone. She was a missionary’s daughter and was able to save
me from an otherwise impossible situation.
Times
too numerous to mention have I been saved financially and only “in
the nick of time.” Once I had a debt that was too much for me.
A hailstorm wracked the neighborhood, but it did only minor damages
to my car and none to my house. But the insurance not only paid the
car damage but also gave me money for a new roof. Even though I
insisted that my house was not damaged and they didn’t owe it
to me, they asked me to take the money anyway, for it was easier for
them to go on and pay everyone So I had money to pay my debt!
I
can see these instances of God’s loving care and I can see the
bitterness of widowhood. I prefer to see God’s lovely handiwork
in all of nature and in the lives of those who love Him.
God
has always answered my prayers, though I can now see that the answer
has sometimes been no. One of my most fervent prayers was answered in
the negative, and I am now grateful that it was. God knows what is
best for us even when we do not. I have had to live boldly sometimes
and make daring changes. God always helped me when I needed Him most.
Life’s uncertainties have strengthened my faith. It has been
one step at a time, a walk by faith. I would be weaker now, I
believe, if years ago I could have seen the way ahead to be clear and
without difficulty. The Lord has a way of helping when there is no
visible solution to the problem.
We
all wish that we could erase things from our past, but it is
heartening to realize that God can take even these things and put
them all together for our good. When our labors do not bear good
fruit it is probably because we do not intend good, for God can make
blessings of our good intentions, even when all else fails. God
magnifies the little deeds we do, turning raindrops into showers.
He
teaches us that we are to do good to those who cannot return the
good, but this is impossible for us to do except by His grace. One
thing is sure, and that is that He will not allow our mercy to others
to go unrewarded. Not only in heaven after awhile, but even here he
repays us much more than we can ever help others.
May God help us all to see better, to discern what is important over what is unimportant, and to see all the good in the world and in our lives rather than the bad. This will help us to serve in the unpleasant places of life, and to love those who do not love us. —Mrs. Margaret Williams, 1250 Afton, Apt. 48, Houston, TX 77055