Living on the West Coast of United States for several years, with pleasant weather throughout the year, and a few minutes away from the popular beaches of Southern California, I have forgotten to cast a second glance at the surfers riding the waves. Watching the paddle boarders, surfers, para gliders alongside swimmers has become a past time that I have grown to love every time I walk on the beach.
On one of the visits to the beach, as I watched the surfers skimming the surface of water ever so glibly, a thought flashed across my mind. Are my relationships with family & friends just like surfing? Just superficial, barely touching the hearts of people whom I call friends or beloved ones? As a surfer rides each wave, he expects that he/she would ride the next wave better. As I meet friends, make new friends, call a sick relative, am I being genuine in my love for them or am I just doing it under obligation? Do I actually know a friend well enough?
As thoughts such as these raced through my mind, I was reminded of pain and anguish I experienced a few times when I’ve been burned while showing a tad bit more love. This led to exasperation causing me to think twice in extending a hand of friendship and love. I’ve always wondered if by showing love and extending a hand of friendship was overbearing on some to the point that they start avoiding me. With a history of such instances in my life, over the years I’ve taken a guarded approach.
After a few weeks of my visit to the beach, I was reading a book on pioneer people. How mining, farming, ranching and planting roots for the adventure seekers of old times were the driving factors for establishing themselves in untamed places. My mind quickly drew an analogy: mining to dig for gold or silver and mining to dig deep into lives and hearts of people. Back in those days, when people made friends, they made sure their friendships lasted. They dug deeper into hearts of each other. They learned to love them unconditionally, helped beyond their means, sacrificed comforts to accommodate those in need just because they were willing to help and not because they might profit from them.
These days, most of our relationships are based on the fact, ‘how am I going to profit/benefit from this relationship?’ We just are surfing, testing the waters instead of plunging head long and attempting to dig deeper. It is when we dig deeper that we can find the hidden gems in the people. To dig deep costs time and effort. In these days of ‘instant’, not many are willing to mine into the lives of people to bring out the best in them. Rather, they have embraced the fact, ‘what you see is what you get’.
As for me, I guess I’ve always been a miner and not a surfer. For me every relationship was a mine to dig deep for hidden treasure. Every relationship/friendship is treasured even though there are just a few. However badly I get burnt, I try yet again to dig a little bit deeper. However, this revelation led me to an even deeper understanding of the love of Jesus Christ for mankind. He sure is a miner!
Our Heavenly Father wants us to dig deeper into His Word for those hidden gems that are waiting to be revealed. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help in our search for truth and nuggets of wisdom. “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Ephesians 1:17. All we need to do is take that step towards Him in faith and He is faithful in revealing a little bit more of Himself to those who diligently seek Him.
Are we eager enough to dig deeper into the treasure trove of God’s Word? Are we hungry enough to be fed sumptuously? Are we thirsty enough to plunge head long in search of the Truth? For our Lord and Savior is ready to reveal His glory and the eternity that awaits us. Our Helper the Holy Spirit desires “… to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 3: 9-10
Beloved, may we be diligent miners who are eagerly digging for the truth, the Absolute Truth. Let us pursue the One who claimed that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Where else can we find Words of peace, comfort, hope and joy but in Jesus? May our hearts yearn to dig a little each day. Let us not superficially skim on the surface like surfers riding the waves do but be like Daniel, David, Paul and others who dug deep in search of the Lord. By digging so, our relationships not only with Jesus strengthens but also with people around us. We are more perceptive to others’ needs just like Jesus. May our Lord bless us to be miners.
Practical Christian Living 