Many years ago, a friend of mine owned and played in a band.  I was married with children and in my early twenties at the time.  We called, Al, to see where he was playing that weekend so that we could come and listen – we needed a grown up night out.

 

“I don’t think you want to come to this Gig,” he responded, with a little unease, “ we are playing in a Dive this weekend.”

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Al typically played in nice clubs around the area, but the schedule fell a little short and he accepted anything just to fill up the bus with gas, and continue to the next Gig.

 

So, being very young, we gathered a couple of carloads of young married couples and those still in college, and went to the Dive

 

Now, Al was not kidding when he warned us that this was a Dive.  We drove, out to the Middle-of-Nowhere, to a wooden structure, that had dirt floors, and chicken wire to protect the band from any flying objects (like beer bottles).  There was a hand written board with the name of the place on it, and motorcycles out front.  Not the motorcycles that the retired Doctors, and Lawyers ride around on.  I’m talking real Bikers! People who looked like they had not seen the light of day for years…if ever!  I kid you not!

 

And, we were intrigued with a world we had heard of, but never seen with our own eyes.  Did I mention that we were young (and obviously stupid!)? We found some seats, which were old cable spools and sat down.  A few of the guys found a pool table, cued up the sticks and played a little pool.

 

The waitress, dressed only in an oversized tee shirt with a belt took our orders.  After a while the big burly bikers came and begin to ask us who we were and why we had come to this “establishment.”  Honestly, I had a flashback to the movie Animal House, and thought they were going to ask to dance with us!

 

When it was over, all of the guys helped the band with their breakdown and we headed home together (looking in the rearview mirror to see if we were followed).

 

Driving down the dark back roads, trying to navigate an unfamiliar route back to the civilization, that I was cherishing more than ever, I had time to think.

 

Christ took the Gig, in a Dive for thirty-three years.  He left the good life to come where dirt covers the people, and chairs; and, where we try to protect ourselves with chicken wire, full of holes, from beer bottles flying through the air.

 

And He dwelt among us.  He ate the food in our darkness served by those wearing oversized, filthy tee shirts, and brought light into our darkness.

 

Christ came, in garments made of clay, not so that He could understand us.  He “gets” us, because He made us.  He came so that we could “get” him and know the one who loves us.  He came because we had forgotten that we were with Him before the foundation of the earth.  And, we had forgotten our way home.  He came to be the light on the road and with signs handwritten in blood that said, “go this way”.

 

Father In Heaven, Keep us humble today.  Help us to remember that the light we walk in is not of our own making, but it is the light that you have provided for us.  Thank you for Christ, the light of the world.

 

How can we respond to those who live in darkness – Those we see in the grocery store or gas station today?

 

 

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Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

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