Between Rest and Growth
Not that long ago, a friend tried to convince me that their Central Valley hometown had a good food scene. And to help make their case, they invited me to stay with their family for a weekend so we could checkout a few restaurants. I was hesitant to go because I typically associate the Central Valley as a politically and socially conservative bastion lacking cultural diversity. In my mind, to visit the Central Valley meant potentially exposing myself to a higher ratio of people who be hostile towards me because of the color of my skin, what I believed, and for whom I voted.
But I am happy to admit that I was wrong. Every restaurant I went to was excellent. From the small, family-owned Thai restaurant to the franchise fast-food chicken tender place, the food was surprisingly delicious. As for the people I met, they differed from me on their views about religion, politics, and culture, but they were also sweet, caring, and accepted me with open arms. God worked through them to open my mind.
It is easy for me in Napa to dismiss those who are different from me because I have carefully curated my life to exclude people whose ideological preferences differ from mine, and because of that, I have forgotten about the common humanity we all share. My trust in God gifted me the sense of confidence needed to be comfortable with recognizing when I am wrong.
Prayer: So wonderful all-present God, thank you for gracefully teaching me when I am wrong, and may we all find the fun and happiness available to us when we learn to live more loving lives. Amen
Keith Calara