Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 

John,  an apostle of Jesus

Have you been watching the news of late? It seems that it's filled with nothing but strife and hatred and killing. Such is the world apart from Christ. One of the things that I appreciate the most about genuine Christianity is the peace that it brings in the communities that practice it. This is not to say that evil men have not hijacked Christianity for self serving purposes, nor is it to deny the words of Jesus when He pointed out that it would bring strife among those who rejected His teaching. But the Christian will seek the good of his fellow man, and this brings peace when practiced among a community of believers.

This is one of the things I love the most about living in a small town where the majority of its people honestly believe that Jesus is the Son of God. It shows in every facet of every activity - from the way people do business to the way people care for their neighbors to the way the schools are run. At our particular school, we have a superintendent with a PhD. His wife is also highly accomplished, yet it is nothing unusual to see these two cleaning up the stands after a ballgame. They have the heart of a servant.

Our two principals are sincerely focused on the well being of their students - this shows in just about everything they do. Our teachers are some of the most incredible individuals that I have ever been around - most could work for higher salaries elsewhere, but they like the atmosphere of their small town.  Our secretaries actually run the school, but are kind enough to let the administrators think that they are in charge. Their real talents lie in the loving way that they treat our children. The maintenance people have been here for years and are family - not mere custodians. The man who oversees much of the school property coincidentally went to college on a track scholarship. Not coincidentally, he took the first girl's track team to State in many years. But his real asset is that he, like nearly everyone else at school and in this town, loves Christ.

There are four different houses of worship here, but the reason for our not worshiping together is not due to animosity, but to a different understanding of the Word. We still gather together at ball games and concerts and picnics and awards assemblies, just to be with one another and to cheer one another along. All of these things come from being in a community where nearly every person believes not only in God, but in Jesus as well. We don't make the news much, but I think that the blessings that stem from such Christian living is worthy of note.

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. 

Luke 11:28, NIV