Good day, dear friends.
Consider the passage from Micah 5:2 "You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old." It is a reference to a small, insignificant town in Judah. Who could possibly come from that town that would be "important" in the eyes of the world?
Most of the world knew Joseph Barbera, the artist partner of Hanna-Barbera, the production company that gave us Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, etc. If you look for a bio looking for more history on him, you will note that he was born in Brooklyn, New York. But I'm troubled that next door to my church in Mission, Texas, in front of this now abandoned theatre, the Rio, there is a state historical plaque that says that the artistic partner of Hanna-Barbera was born in Mission, Texas. I called the owners of the theatre, whose parents bought the theatre from Senor Babera, a man originally from Spain who opened the theatre first called Concordia, but later sold it to the Flores family. For many years I was intrigued by what the young Barbera did and imagined while playing there in South Mission, only to grow and become this man who blessed the world with characters of endless entertainment. It's a mystery that perhaps Texas Monthly magazine could explore.
The real question is where are you going? Where you're from is important, it has helped to shape who you are today, but it should not limit nor dictate what you will ultimately become. I'm from Kingsville, and I never knew that Jim Morrison of The Doors fame, lived there and attended my elementary school (some years prior to my being there!) while his dad was stationed at the Kingsville Naval Base. Did some of the Kingsville area influence his music? Again, Texas Monthly, step on in.
Where are you going? What will you allow God to make of your life? Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the "house of bread," "city of David," and became who he became, guided and used by God. You can be no different in your service to God and others, if you will surrender your life to God. You won't be a messiah; we already have one, but you can be a servant of He who was born to bring us victory over sin and death.
PRAYER: Lord, let me discover where I am going. Use where I am from to shape me into being your person. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
