Philosophy in the Fishing Aisle

September 21, 2020

Scripture

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.  ….  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31-33,35-36 ESV)

Philosophy in the Fishing Aisle

“I’ll be there within the hour”, I said to a manager of the sporting goods store in Barrie. He’d been giving me advice about a fishing rod and reel I wanted for my granddaughter’s birthday and he promised it would be worth the drive rather than doing it online. And it proved so for two reasons.

First, the rod and reel brought a smile and some caught fish for my granddaughter. Second, I got some homespun philosophy from my new friend in the fishing aisle.

My comment “You must be seeing some crazy buying of outdoor equipment during this pandemic,” elicited this reply. “People are feeling their mortality, so they are spending money and time on recreation,”. Quite a line from the guy who just sold me a fishing line. Certainly boats, bikes and recreational equipment were in short supply as summer emerged.

We certainly feel vulnerable to the unknowns right now. Our anxiety often comes from not having the visible reinforcements that convince us we are in control of our life. Better to acknowledge we are vulnerable at the best of times but safest in the ultimate love of a merciful God.

A Prayer for Today

Merciful God, you see us scrambling for answers to many questions we haven’t faced before. Don’t let fear of the unknown make us less compassionate for the needs of others and fairness in our society. Let our vulnerability free us to love and serve rather than insulate and self-protect …. For Jesus’ sake