The Next Right Thing

 

To be honest, puzzling overwhelms me. I see the shapes and colors of 1000 pieces and shut down. After sorting the pieces and doing the edges, I don’t know where to begin and so I just stand there, wringing my hands, feeling overwhelmed.

 

It’s my mom who gives me direction. She either starts working on the puzzle and leaves small spaces for me to fill or she tells me what pieces to find to help her in her quest. With a clearly defined purpose, I feel less overwhelmed and able to help.

 

But even my mom gets overwhelmed sometimes. She works and works and works until sometimes she can’t work anymore. The pieces just don’t fit and the work just isn’t going anywhere. Yet even then, she continues to work by neatly arranging the pieces on the puzzle trays.

 

Sometimes she simply straightens up what is already there. Sometimes she completely moves or rearranges the pieces, depending on what we need for the puzzle. Sometimes she even counts the remaining pieces, which makes us feel like we can reach the finish line. But always, she’s working—moving toward the goal…

 

This morning, on my way to work, I listened to, “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen II. As I listened, these lyrics spoke to me:

 

“I won't look too far ahead. It's too much for me to take. But break it down to this next breath. This next step. This next choice is one that I can make…”

 

Not only did the lyrics connect to my puzzling heart, but they also connected to my theological heart. If I’m honest, then I must admit that I’ve had a lot of theological questions over the past couple of years. I’ve questioned the nature and character of God. I’ve questioned issues of separation of church and state. I’ve grieved God’s name being used to promote thoughts and ideas far from my understanding of God. I’ve grieved the politics of the church. I’ve been deeply distressed by the hatred I’ve seen displayed by “God’s people” and the “us against them” mindset that has become characteristic of Christianity.

 

If I try to understand it all, then it’s too much for me to take. Yet when I break it down to the next breath—the next step—the next choice—then it’s one that I can make. I choose Love. How that love is manifest may take different forms on different days. Justice Love. Tough Love. Forgiving Love. Lovingkindness. Love as fighting. Love as letting go. But if I trust the God whom I believe IS love, then I can organize my thoughts and beliefs to always be moving toward the goal…which is…Love.

 

Oh God, when we’re overwhelmed, when we don’t know what to do next, help us to do something—anything—that will organize our lives toward Love. Amen.