Love Can Truly Build Bridges

I heard a great story in Sunday School On June 29th and told myself, "you have got to use this next week."  Next week came and went and I did not think of it again...until today when I was looking for a verse we had used earlier in the month from the Sunday School material.  I laid my book on my desk and it came open to the notes I had made about the story. As I read the story I kept hearing the Judd's song, "Love Can Build A Bridge" in my head. The story goes like this: " You see there were two brothers who lived and farmed near each other.  For 40 years, they worked in harmony, borrowing each other's tools and equipment.  One day a misunderstanding occurred between them, and they stopped speaking to each other.  Months went by.  One day a carpenter came to the door of the older brother and asked if there was some project he could do.  The main said he would like to have an eight-foot fence constructed so he could not see his brother's farm across the creek.  The carpenter said he understood and got to work right away.  All day long he measured, sawed, and hammered.  When the older brother went to look at the finished project. he could not believe what he saw.  No fence was there, but there was a bridge spanning the creek.  To his amazement,  his younger brother was coming toward him on the bridge, hand outstretched.  He thanked him for building a bridge after all their hostility.  As they shook hands, they saw the carpenter packing his tools.  They asked him to stay, but he said he had other bridges to build."  Wow!  What a lesson and believe me it hit me right between the eyes.....the topic of the lesson was a tough one....divisions in the church.  Divisions can occur in all walks of life.  When I was younger I was very angry with a friend of mine from high school.  I left Florida when I was 19 and never spoke to her.  We grew up in the same neighborhood.  After completing Beth Moore's Bible Study, Breaking Free, I realized I had to make amends.  My class reunion was coming up so I made plans to go and visit her while I was back in Florida.  I am so glad I did.  God really gave me such a blessing.....and a bridge was built.  I encourage you all today not to burn bridges....but to build them.  Don't let a bad word separate you from those you love.  "I am sorry" is one of the hardest phrases to utter....but "I wish I had....." is one of the most painful things you will ever go through.  God Bless You All today....and if you have a void between you and someone in your life....hire that carpenter....and get that bridge built.