Saturday, March 18, 2017

Wearing Green On The Day After St. Pat's

Wearing Green After St. Patrick's Day
I find myself wearing green one day after St. Patrick's Day. I was surprised this morning when I realized that my wife and daughters didn't even bother to pinch me this year.
Even though my name is Patrick, I am partly Irish, I grew up in a small town that tripled in size on St. Patrick's weekend due to the festivities, and I even got two days off in College each year to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, it never meant much to me.

Do you find there are certain days or events that sneak up on you?  Are there certain activities you procrastinate figuring you will do it sometime? Do you find yourself one day late for the party?

Several years ago when our kids were young, I remember being late to get my wife a Valentine's gift, then I was tardy on her April birthday, and I followed up by mostly missing Mother's Day!  Finally, I got it together for our May Anniversary. Clearly, I would have been foolish to continue in that pattern!

Jesus tells a parable of some that were foolish and let something important sneak up on them.  They were not prepared.  In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus shares the story of ten virgins awaiting the arrival of the Bridegroom.  Five were prepared with their lamp's oil ready awaiting his coming. For the other five, the foolish ones, it must not have been that important.  They had no extra oil for their lamps.  
When the Bridegroom delayed all fell asleep.  At the shout of his coming all woke up, but there was no oil left in the lamps of the foolish. While the foolish virgins left to buy oil, the Bridegroom arrived, the party started, and all those that were not there, were forever locked out.

They were late for the party.  Maybe they were procrastinating thinking they could get ready later, maybe it didn't mean that much to them.  Either way, they were wearing green on the day after St. Pat's.

Fortunately for me, I didn't get pinched.  For some though, they will not be prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.  They will be forever locked out of the party, where there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth. What are you doing to make yourself ready?



And a classic rock reminder to 'burn the midnight oil'.