Each morning as I ride public transportation to work, I find it interesting to see how people occupy their time on MAX. Most people read or work puzzles. A few annoy everyone else with nonstop cell phone conversations. Some nap. By week's end, that number grows.
One day this week I noticed a young man reading his Bible. Not merely observing a cursory glance through a daily devotional book with a required scripture reading, he was engrossed all the way from the Gateway Transit Center to one of the last downtown stops. As he stowed his large Bible in his backpack and got up for his stop, I told him I liked the way he started his day. He smiled and said it helped him keep perspective. As if in secret code, he added, "Red letters in the morning give the day perspective." Yes, the words of Jesus, written in red in many translations, give perspective to life. Making that a daily compass adjustment is a wise choice.
For this young man, the commitment required carrying the weight of his Bible with him for his day. Not a cross, certainly, but burden enough to provide its own reminder of the gravity of the decision. Making the time to listen to the words of Jesus costs something, because God does not look at our work days with the eyes of commerce and ambition or measure our success by the prestige of our titles or the size of our pay checks.
I hope you had a red-letter day. If you didn't, I hope you'll choose to make tomorrow a red-letter day!
