A shirt full of sticky rice

Some people make my job so very easy. I know ministry is supposed to be about loving the unlovable and extending grace to those who need it most, but is it ok sometimes to just dwell on those who are a pure joy?

I spent this evening with 11 of those people. We ate dinner at a Japanese steakhouse, laughing hysterically as the cook flung sticky rice at each person until a mouthful was caught, and generally taking life not too seriously.

Each of them is a beautiful person from my congregation, and they all love to serve Christ. I'm going to spend more time thinking about them, along with the other scores of people in my congregation who are not only fun, but who take their faith walk so seriously that their joy is overflowing. I won't stop loving the unlovable, especially since we are all unlovable at times, and it is love that transforms us. I will also thank God, though, for those who bring laughter and smiles.