Have you ever argued with the wisdom you asked for? You solicit your spouse for advice and then disregard it. A repairman tells you what’s wrong with your furnace, but you call someone else. You debate with your GPS in a new city, certain you can find a better way. If any of this rings true, you will understand the counsel of James.

Afghanistan, Haiti, Lytton; three headlines that get progressively closer to us. We witness the end of a 20 year war and the beginning uncertainty and chaos. We see the devastation and death of a second major earthquake to convulse Haiti in the last decade. The evidence of rampaging fires in BC is in our eyes and lungs. These events are tragic. Each one shatters the routine of life. They all are weighted with sorrow and tears. Yet, they do not affect us in the same manner. We are prayerful and concerned for each, but proximity matters.

Six years ago, I had to make an emergency trip back to Ontario. That’s where I was born and raised; where my parents were still residing. Mom had a series of health issues and was in medical crisis. She was facing the final stages of infirmity that are often twinned to 87 years of living. I found her alert, comfortable and talkative. She recognized the situation and we got to have final conversations.

Love is a tug. It pulls, draws, attracts and guides. It can be a slight nudge towards your favourite ice cream, summer shirt or vacation spot. It can be an irresistible force which magnetizes you towards family and friends. Like gravity, love will set the direction of our lives. So we best be careful about what we love.