The Border Crossed Over Us (Frank Myer)

Good evening! Lord willing, I am somewhere over the ocean on my way to Can Tho, Vietnam. Please keep me in your prayers! My guest blogger tonight is a good friend from Harding University, Frank Myer. Frank writes a wonderful devotional each week called Friday From Frank and he is graciously letting me use several of them!

Friday From Frank

The Border Crossed Over Us

Good Morning,

The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions.

It’s an old joke, but it sets the tone for today.

This week’s thought came from a humorous incident I had Monday night.

Back story:

I was at 24 Hour Fitness. I’m now sure what came over me, but I decided to work out. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to resist temptation and I went.

After a few major efforts to burn calories, I did treat myself to the Steam Room.

Sidebar:  The Steam Room is one of my many secrets of success in staying healthy.  Heat kills the virus. Steam is heat. Hence, no virus. Even better, no sick Frank.

Back on track.

Inside the steam room there was a Hispanic Gentleman of somewhat ample girth. I quite enjoy when I see “Husky” sized guys. Misery loves company.

Apparently the others were making fun of him because of his grande sized girth.  His response?  - “This stomach cost me a lot of money. Do you know how much it cost to feed this thing?  I like it.”

I sat down and we started talking.

To get to the point we ended up talking about origins. He was a history buff.

He said: “You may think my family crossed the border, but no. The border crossed over us.”

In the words of the philosopher, Larry The Cable Guy, “That’s funny right there.”

His grandfather lived in a part of what is now Texas, but used to be Mexico.

His family has the documents they had to sign stating the ranch they lived on is now in Texas, or Tejas, as he called it for some reason.  I was on my best behavior so I didn’t let him know he was saying it wrong. (That’s a joke.)

Anyway as he said: Same farm, different country.  The border crossed over us.

What’s the point?

We tend to make all sorts of judgments based on outside factors.

If you have even smelled a newspaper lately, you know immigration is somewhat of an inflammatory subject.

He let me know sometimes his family is accused of crossing the border. No sir. The border crossed him.  

This isn’t new. Look was one of the “good guys” had to say in John, chapter 1. They were talking about Jesus.

This is not intentional, but it is kind of fun Jesus can also be pronounced “He-suess.”  If that’s not Hispanic, I don’t know what is.

Back on track. Look what Nathanael replies with to Philip.  Hint: It’s not very nice.

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

It’s a challenge, but take a few moments to really see the person you’re talking to.

Let the tacky come from other people. You be the light.

This is not making a statement for or against immigration.

This is a nudge of encouragement to be kind to all you meet. Show the light.

Why should we be this way?

Are you kidding me?

It’s December. Santa is probably watching.

Enjoy the ride,

Frank Myer

P.S.  - No one complains about Santa crossing the borders.  Ha.

PPS – My other observation. It’s better to be the fattest one in the exercise room than not to be in there at all.

PPS – When the instructor says: “Squeeze those glutes.”  They are most likely talking about your own.   Remember that and stay out of jail.

PPPS – May God bless you and your family in this Christmas season.