Inspired by lyrics to “I Can Do what I Can Do” by Sue Riley, Gary Lynn Floyd, and Richard Mekdeci:
Look around, what do I see? Good or bad, it's up to me.
My world reflects what I believe, Here’s what I believe:
I know there's good in everyone, I feel/know the best is yet to come.
I want to love like crazy, shine like gold, be courageous, break the mold.
I can’t do it all, but this much is true: I can do what I can do.
I’ll choose compassion over fear, release my love into the atmosphere; like a single wave in an endless sea, any change begins with me.
I can’t do it all, but this much is true, I can do what I can do. And when I feel I’m all alone, I’ll remember: one drop of water smooths a stone.
Responsive Reading for Sunday, August 26
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Mt. 13:16-17).
“Look around, what do I see? Good or bad, it's up to me. My world reflects what I believe. Here’s what I believe: I know there's good in everyone, I feel and know the best is yet to come.”
A scholar of the Torah stood up to test Jesus, asking what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what was written in scripture. The scholar answered, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said that was right: “Do this and you will live.” Then Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan (an unlearned foreigner): a man had been attacked and left for dead by robbers. Two learned religious leaders of Israel had crossed the road when they saw the man lying there, hurt. “But a Samaritan saw the man and “was moved with compassion at the sight….” He bandaged his wounds, “took him to an inn and cared for him” and gave money to the innkeeper, saying “‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'” Jesus asked, “‘Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?’” The scholar answered, ‘The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise" (Lk. 10:30-7).
I want to love like crazy, shine like gold, be courageous, break the mold. I can’t do it all, but this much is true: I can do what I can do.
“A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?’ They answered, ‘The first’” (Mt. 21:28-31).
“I’ll choose compassion over fear, release my love into the atmosphere; like a single wave in an endless sea, any change begins with me.”
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me . . . . Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me'” (Matthew 25:35-40).
I can’t do it all, but this much is true, I can do what I can do. And when I feel I’m all alone, I’ll remember: One drop of water smooths a stone.