Monday, January 2, 2023

My Friend Simcha

 

From her vantage point the mountains below spread out forever. She had inherited this place of peace from an ancient scribe, Simcha the Jew, who painted and taught and read and wrote. He was a foreigner here, like her, though he had lived 

in this simple wooden house his entire life. 


"Why do they call you 'the Jew'?" She'd asked him once.


He was surprised, "They don't call me that. I call myself that. I say it all the time."


"Why?" She wondered.


He replied, "So they will know."


It was like Simcha to say something and leave it at that. He wanted to be known, understood, heard, but it was like he spoke another language. Some people hide their faith and others their background. They'll see us, you know, if we speak up. 

Simcha knew they see us anyway. Better to be bold. 


He was no ordinary man. Simcha knew God. He knew Jesus the Messiah. That made him a stranger to his own people, and stranger still to those who do not know God and reject the Son. He was alone on that mountain, or so he thought, until she came and asked him a million questions. You are just as strange as me, he thought, but never said aloud, because he did not want her to know. 


And so she stood staring at the open sky, in the frame of the wooden door, high on a mountain, thinking of all she'd learned from Simcha the Jew. It was a lot.


Forgiveness. How had she learned that? 

As far as she could tell Simcha never held a grudge. Maybe that's how.


Refuse offense. You could not offend Simcha. 

He lived in peace because he chose to, not because the world is perfect.


He forgave and he blessed those the Almighty put within his reach, continually, each day, all the time, and when the sun relaxed into a peaceful sleep so did Simcha. 


She was afraid of the whole world. "It's horrible," she said. He disagreed. 


"Don't be afraid of them," he said. 

"All of these problems are really one problem and they have one answer: Jesus."


It was like Simcha to say something and leave it at that. 

Sometimes people misunderstood him and sometimes they did not. 


She understood him and stood at the doorway looking out for someone to bless.



23 comments:

  1. This is lovely, Sandi. Is there more to come?

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  2. Be strong and courageous. You can't know God without knowing Jesus and even when we know Jesus we have so much more to learn about our Triune God. May we go into this new year with open eyes and hearts to what God will teach us... Blessings Sandi!

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  3. Did you write that? I liked it. Deep.

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  4. So much to ponder... Thank you.

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  5. "Don't be afraid of them," he said. 

    "All of these problems are really one problem and they have one answer: Jesus."

    Yes. Psalms 37.

    Deliver us from evil...

    Blessings to you Sandi this New Year!

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  6. Dear Sandi, there have been so many Simchas in my life. They've blessing my goings and my comings, my changes and my retreats, my mountain tops and my valleys. Looking back, I see the rosary beads of blessing and feel a deep and abiding gratitude for all that has been and will be. Peace from Dee Ready and the cats. And thanks so much, Sandi, for checking on me--you are one of those blessings!

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    1. Thank you, Dee. This meant a lot to me. 😊

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  7. As William said, beautifully written. I hope you will continue. Happy New Year!

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  8. I really enjoyed this, there's a great message there. Blessings

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  9. Happy Blessed New year:
    This is positively beautiful, thank-you from my heart.

    Catherine

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  10. Well written. Regine

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  11. Hi Sandi, 'All of these problems are really one problem' Yes they are, and it is Satan. God bless.

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  12. i want you to know that i read this, and i thought it was so well written. we may not agree completely on some of these things but i have a great deal of respect for those who do!! i don't know why jewish people segregate themselves, we are all just people!! i don't refer to myself as the "spiritual one"!! the weekend is coming up, i hope you have a great one!!

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