Greetings on this, the last month of the year. 2015 was a great year for Mexico Ministries. I would like to have 20 more years just like this last one.
Psalm 33:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” I was born into a family of 12. Mom, Dad and 10 children. A big family with lots of faults and failures, but we chose to bury those faults and failures and live in unity. How good and pleasant it is for families to dwell together in unity.
My immediate family ... my wife, my sons and their families ... also have faults and failures, but we choose to bury our faults and failures and live together in unity. My extended family numbers in the thousands. Again, we all have faults and failures, but we too choose to bury our faults and failures and live in unity.
Keith Richards said that he had not spoken to his father in 20 years when they finally settled their differences. And for the next 20 years, Keith took his father with him as he toured around the world. Both of them were happy to be together. How good and pleasant it is for fathers and sons to dwell in unity.
Jacob said, “Laban has cheated me. He said to Laban, ‘You have changed my wages 10 times. For 20 years there were faults and failures between this father-in-law and son-in-law. In Mizpah, they signed a peace treaty realizing “How good and pleasant it is for father-in-law and son-in-law to dwell together in unity.”
Jacob was fleeing for his life with his brother Esau promising to kill him. A showdown came 20 years later when they met on the road. Surely, much blood would be shed, and many lives lost. But Jacob bowed before Esau and Esau ran to Jacob and embraced him, kissed him and wept. How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.
Joseph had every right to be angry. His brothers had every right to be afraid when they heard him say, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.” Joseph kissed all of his brothers and wept and the Egyptians heard him cry. How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.
The old pastor, trying to settle the back-biting and gossip in his church, told the story of a cat dying and being buried, leaving his tail unburied. Every once in a while, someone would grab that tail and pull that cat up out of the ground. Each time the stench would be stronger than before. The pastor said, “It is time to bury the cat, tail and all.” That’s what Laban, Jacob, Esau, Joseph and Keith all did. They buried the cat, tail and all.
Next week, I will be in Chiapas with some wonderful friends who have great hearts of compassion. Together, we will take about 80 orphans to a clothing store and let them pick out clothing and shoes and anything else they need or want. Later, we will take them to a restaurant for food, and then later we will return to the orphanage and have a Christmas party, giving gifts to all.
I pray your Christmas will be as compassionate as ours. Embrace, weep and kiss. We are here today. But will we all be here next Christmas? We wish you and wonderful and blessed Christmas.
Larry and Mary Lou