The mystery of the mismatched collar

Originally appeared on spirituality.com

Noah and the ark. It’s a story many of us are pretty familiar with.

I’d always loved reading about Noah’s close relationship to God—and his obedience to God’s direction. But a recent experience left me wondering about Noah’s relationship to the guy next door. “Did Noah’s neighbors know him?” I asked myself. How might the story have turned out if those neighbors had recognized him as the intelligent, faithful man I’d grown up reading about?

What if someone reputable had stood beside Noah and said, “We should pay attention to these warnings about a flood and trust that Noah is building the ark for a purpose. I know this man’s character. He is not a person who acts irrationally. ” I hope, given the opportunity, I will be the kind of person who recognizes my neighbor’s best intentions, instead of writing them off as foolish.

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