Simply A Night Owl

Picture a clear morning in April. As you walk outside of your home, you find there is still a little bit of snow on the ground. The sun is shining down onto the earth between light wispy clouds. There’s a light breeze blowing; not cold, but sharp enough to make you feel refreshed as you step outside of your shelter into the world. Today isn’t just any other day though. Bozeman, Montana is normally a sleepy little town in the morning, even more so on the outskirts where you live. You are part of what is left of the human race after the third world war and life just isn’t all that great. Those who are left spend a lot of time just surviving; some wish that they had not. Most of the population spends every night in make shift bars drowning themselves in liquor bottles while others are content to just merely live out their days with no purpose or direction; just meandering around. Sleeping late has become a community pastime.

It makes me wonder what it’s like to live every day with a future that is uncertain and a past to be ashamed of. How can I begin to imagine living every day of my life knowing that the only thing I look forward to at the end of the day will be the bottle that will help me to forget it all – temporarily? Can I have empathy toward people that really believe that a lot of money or relocation will help them out of their rut? What is it like to just lie in bed staring at the ceiling all day? Well yeah, I guess I do understand that line of thinking.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comfort us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” ~ 2 Corinthians 1:4

At the same time, another group of folks were passing through the area. These were just regular folks out doing their jobs – another day at the office. They had no idea when they woke up that morning that they would be led to become missionaries of peace; making first contact with this lost group of people. How scary that must have been for them. Up until now, these missionaries had viewed this small group of people as savage and primitive; a group that reminded them of their past – people to steer clear of. Going against everything they knew, they landed themselves right in the midst of those who until now, they wanted absolutely nothing to do with. There are times when the Spirit leads me to do that very thing and when he does, I often wonder what it is I will say. As it were, the very first words spoken by a Vulcan to a human were “Live Long and Prosper”. In retrospect, this was not merely a simple salutation, it represented hope – hope that prosperity and long life could actually be a possibility.

Anyone who has read me before knows that I am a total Star Trek fan. My favorite of them is The Next Generation but I pretty much like any incarnation of the series that has come along. That said, my readers occasionally get to bear with me as I try to somehow tie something Star Trek into something mission or purpose. Pursuit course – engage!

It was that word – pursuit, which got me where I am at today.

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; see peace and pursue it”~ Psalm 34:12-14

“Live long and prosper” was used as a primary salutation by the Vulcans but in reality, it was a response to a lesser known greeting; one that Sarek used quite often; “Peace and Long Life.” This was the preceding salutation and it was this greeting which first came to mind as I read the verses from Psalm 34. “Peace and Long Life” were actually derived from the Hebrew greeting Shalom Aleichem which means peace be upon you. Even the Vulcan salute is a derivative of a blessing performed by the Kohanim when they use both hands to form the Hebrew letter Shin; which is Shaddai; meaning [Almighty (God)].

In the end, I guess what I am really trying to say is that because of my experiences in this life, I can be a missionary – going about his daily routine and following the leading of the Spirit when given. This so that others in need can see through me that peace and long life are possible in Shaddai.

Shalom Aleichem