Another Day, Another Dog Show

 Another Dog and Pony show hit my social media feed this morning - two, in fact.  One was shamelessly promoting what is false, the other happily promoting what is twisted and sick.  

Scroll on By, people...Scroll on By.

The beauty of social media is, I believe, the freedom people have to express themselves.  If they want to claim to be something they are not?  Go ahead!  If they want to promote something that IS not true? Right this way - the circus tent has a space for you.  If one decides to be a part of social media all they have to do is enter the Circus Tent. 

I enter on a regular basis.  I also am becoming much more discerning as to which of the exhibits gets my nickel.  When I see someone promoting themselves as something I know they are not, my nickel goes into another cup.  If I spot someone on a high horse about something they want to be true but isn't QUITE the truth, my nickel stays in my pocket.

This morning I heard a podcast that spoke to the idea of God's Voice being the Voice of Conscience.  I often times ignore that voice.  I hold tightly to self will and am convinced I know the better way.  Instead, what I have to be comfortable doing is to let those without the same values I hold dear reveal themselves because then I know who gets to come and sit in my table in the cafeteria.  The posse I have today may be a motley crew but we are a principled one.  That table is open to anyone but its standards are impossibly high.  The good news?  The ones sitting there fail on a regular basis but have the guts and integrity to say,"I am sorry.  I am willing to try again".  We don't lower those standards.  We just keep trying.

Being comfortable with others' bad behavior is such a fine line to navigate.  I think of those who walked this path before me and what they would do.  I hope I am doing what they would want, I hope I am discerning and praying for those who have gone astray and care more about themselves then the good of the whole.  I hope my own anger and hurt feelings over injustice done to me and my loves doesn't prevent me from being loving and kind to those who run into that field filled with nuggets of false gold.

And I hope I can remember to not be lured into complacency by my own wonderful life.  I can grieve those who are beyond redemption and pray that those being tempted can resist that shiny fools' gold,  but the only creature I can control is me.

Thank you for not abandoning me, God.  Thank you for never thinking I am beyond help.  Help me by granting me Prudence and Wisdom.  In the Name of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg for these virtues.

amen.