There is Love in These Rakes

        

Believing there is love in a rake seems like a naive or silly concept. But, I believe it. 

True, the rake is just a tool designed to complete a very limited number of tasks. The rake gets its power when it’s picked up and put to work. Our attitude and intention dictate the power of the rake.

Sometimes we want nothing more than to put it to work to get our chores done so we can move on to more enjoyable things. 

Sometimes we recognize the power of doing things together, like the group in this picture, and the rake is what pulls people together. There is still chores to get done, but these seem less dreadful and more communal. Remember those times when your parents would send you out with your siblings to rake the yard and then remember the times raking turned into conversations and joy when you’d see how big of a pile you could rake. 

And, sometimes we can use tools on behalf of others. Not only is the group in the picture joining together, they’re doing it on behalf of someone who physically cannot do it themselves. They’ve reached beyond their own leaf raking needs and decided they could give themselves in love to another. 

I’m asking you to consider how you can connect to the love in your rake this fall. Throughout your neighborhood and our city, there are folks who physically won’t be able to rake their yards and who don’t have a social network like you to help out. I know, it’s not your responsibility, but it is your opportunity. It’s the opportunity to learn something new about yourself and bring redemption to a situation for someone who really needs it. 

Leaves are leaves, but I hope you realize that leaves aren’t what this is about. I hope you can connect to God’s love for you through loving someone else this fall. 

Give it a shot and let me know what you find out.