Month: January 2012

Plugged Nickels and Powerful Pennies

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Wouldn’t it be terrible to go through life as a penny and nobody want you?  I walked out of the coffee shop today and saw a penny on the asphalt and walked on by.  Now if it would have been a nickel, dime, or quarter, it would have found its way into my pocket.

My penny philosophy really isn’t worth a plugged-nickel because even a penny has cumulative value.  If you doubled the value of a penny everyday, the increase would be significant by the end of a month.  After 10 days it would be worth $5.12.  By the 20th day it would have increased to $5,242.88, and by day 30 it would be worth an amazing $5,368,709.12.

While most of us do not have the resources to make the penny equation add up in our lives, we can do something else.  We can multiply our God-given talents and abilities by investing them in the lives of other people:  as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).

There are plenty of opportunities to help others, but are willing to get involved?  Maya Angelou has made an interesting comment:  I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I will never forget how my 7th grade Geography teacher made me feel:  Her acts of kindness were a healing balm to my deep wounds.  Four months earlier, on the last day of 6th grade, my dad was killed in an oil field accident.  Helen Bobbitt was aware of my tragic loss, and she was determined to make a difference in the life of her student.

You can add it up, but a few years have passed from 1965 to the present.  Through  those passing years, one thing has endured:  It is the appreciation I still have for this lady who gently prodded me on with her gentle presence and reassuring words.

When we take the small penny-moments of life and invest them in the life of another, we know not how great the dividend may be.  The words of Mother Teresa encourage us to embrace this challenge:

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.”

I hope this thought keeps you thinking.

Tempting Trout

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Whether it is paddling my canoe or fly fishing, I love spending time on a river.  The picture at the left is of a rainbow trout that I took while fishing a quiet stretch of Roaring River in Missouri.

My son-in-law and I were not getting many strikes until we identified what insect was hatching and causing the trout to rise to the surface of the water.  Once we discovered what was irresistible to the trout, we made a quick dash to Tim’s Fly Shop and purchased some new dry flies.

The secret to successful trout fishing is found in the words:  match the hatch.  This involves the use of a fake that is worked in a specific manner, so it appears to be the real thing–deception is the key!

I seriously doubt that the Apostle James ever did any fly fishing, but he did outline the principles of baiting:      When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

The practical summary of his principles is seen in the 4 steps below:

  1. Looked–The fish looks at the bait.
  2. Tooked–The fish takes the bait.
  3. Hooked–The fish is hooked.
  4. Cooked–The fish is in the frying pan and cooked

James describes temptation as something that is powerful and persistent.  The construction of the Greek  speaks of continuous action that culminates in lust being conceived.  The picture is that of an almost inescapable death grip that robs you of your vitality.

A good example of this is the enticing techniques used by a cone snail to deceive and then devour a clown fish.  You can see it here.

Most of us know when we should say, No!  Then again, most of us are less like Jesus and more like Mae West who said:  I generally avoid temptation unless I can’t resist it . . . Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

I think the words of West lack the wisdom of Wesley.  Susanna Wesley was the 25th child of 25 children and gave birth to 19 children herself.  Her many life experiences taught her much:  Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sight of God, takes from you your thirst for spiritual things or increases the authority of your body over your mind,  then that thing to you is evil. By this test you may detect evil no matter how subtly or how plausibly temptation may be presented to you.    

It’s easy to live life at its lowest and to be haunted with regrets.  It’s much harder and far better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare  (John Dryden).

Charlottesville: Racism’s Blind Eye

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charlThe year was 1963, and it was the first time I saw the ugly face of racial prejudice.  It happened while we were vacationing in the South and had spent the night at a relative’s house.

When we were about to leave the next morning, I heard my Dad’s cousin say:  Now Eddie, about 10 miles South of here you’ll go through a little town.  Everybody that lives there is a N–. If one of those worthless black N– walks out in front of your car, just run over them.  No need to stop–it’s just a N!

Even though I was just 10, I knew the hate-filled words of Dad’s cousin were reprehensible. Anyone who can run over another human being and leave him to die in the road has been seduced by his unrighteous rage. It was Gandhi who said: An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind. 

If you know anything about history, you know that far too many people have been blinded by hatred and prejudice.  A record of these misguided emotions can be seen in the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England.  A graphic portrayal of the devastation of generations of enslaved men, women, and children is displayed. Etched into one wall of the museum are the words of Frederick Douglass, former slave and crusader for human rights:  “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.”

When one segment of society brutalizes another, it is an attack on humanity as a whole.

Each of use have a circle of influence, and we need to do what we can do to right wrongs.  A clear teaching of the New Testament is the power of love when it is shared, and we are told that love covers a multitude of sin (I Peter 4:8).

The prose of Sam Levenson offers sublime suggestions on what each of us can do to change the world in which we live, and they are a fitting conclusion to this discussion.

For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

To the people of Charlottesville: Walk with the knowledge that you are not alone. I am one among the thousands who are praying for you and for peace to prevail.

 

Tada, Tebow and Culture

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Political correctness and religious zeal are a mismatch and rarely go hand in hand.   Their underlying principles place them at opposite ends of the cultural continuum. This may be one of the reasons that Tim Tebow has so many rabid detractors.  Tebow doesn’t  worry about  political correctness, and he’s not ashamed of his Christian values.

At the 2010  NationalPrayer Breakfast sponsored by Prison Fellowship, Tebow said:  Football is a means to an end forme…sharing the love of Christ, that IS the end!

I think this quote sheds some light on the public animosity directed towards Tebow—His worldview is out of step with much of the world.

A person’s worldview is formed in relation to boundary questions:

·        Who am I?
·        Why am I here?
·        Where am I going?
·        What is my purpose in life?
These questions act as a camera lens that colors our world and causes us to focus on specific areas.  Our worldview can be the source of stress when the horizontal dimension (physical) of our life is in conflict with the vertical dimension (spiritual).
The lives of two different people, Joni Eareckson Tada  and Christopher Reeve,  illustrate this fact.  In July of 1967, Tada broke her neck ina diving accident.  In May of 1995 Reeve,broke his neck when he was thrown from a horse.  As a result of their injuries, both were confined to life in a wheel chair
To their credit, both Tada and Reeve were determined to make the best of their circumstances; however, they shared two different approaches to their future.  Tada was unwilling to use stem cell research, while Reeve promoted its use.
Tada has drawn a line in the sand and espoused her worldview:  If we violate a human embryo today,tomorrow we will become callous about the fetus, then the infant, and thenpeople with physical defects…let’s influence society with reasoned judgment,strength of character, and a commitment to improve our culture, not diminishit.
Both Tada and Tebow embrace a worldview that can be summed up in three words: Jesus is Lord.     This is in stark contrast to the godless, inward-focused, me-first culture that envelopes us.
Tada and Tebow understand that life is full of highs and lows, and whether a person is up or down, Jesus is constant.  They find common ground with David’s proclamation: The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;  my Savior, You save me from violence.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:2-4).
No doubt about it, Tebow is different, and I find this to be refreshing.  Instead of the end zone antics that shout, it’s all about me, the bended knee of Tebow says, it’s all about He that is within me.

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Briefly Boxing

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One of the jobs I had as a teenager was at a men’s clothing store in downtown El Dorado, Kansas.  After school, I would walk to this men’s clothing store and stock the shelves, fold clothing, and wait on customers. 

This was an upscale store of fine clothing that included briefs and boxers.  While I was unpacking a box, something occured to me:  The shorts boxers wear in the ring, looked alot like the boxers I was putting on the shelves. 

I jokingly said to a co-worker:  In some fights, boxers only box briefly and its possible that some just box in their briefs. 

A boxer that briefly boxed was Sonny Liston.  I listened to the Ali-Liston rematch  in May of 1965.  It was a brief contest that only went 1 round for a total of 105 seconds.

The apostle Paul never said anything about briefs and boxers, but he did write about boxing briefly.  If we are content with shadow boxing, Paul said, we will never accomplish much.  To be successful, we need to discipline the body.

Paul must have liked sports, because he would refer to the dedication of an athlete to make a point:  The athlete competes to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

We see this analogy in Hebrews 12:1—let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Far too often we try to live life as though it is a sprint.  In reality though, it is a marathon.

Like a boxer or a distance runner, we need to learn to pace ourselves, and we do this by  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

What kind of a training regimen do you have? To fight a good fight, to finish the contest, and to claim your prize, you need to consider a disciplined life of prayer and study.
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Lessons From An Aunt

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It was Solomon who said that we can learn from the ant: Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8).

My Aunt Fern never said much to me about ants, but she did know what she was talking about when it came to beekeeping. Aunt Fern was my great aunt, and I loved her delicious honey and the times we spent together in conversation.

One thing I learned from Aunt Fern is that bees are sowers and reapers. She was quick to point out that bees are not just “takers” they’re also givers. The relationship between the bee and the flower is symbiotic: As bees take nectar from the flower they pollinate it.

To collect a sufficient amount of honey, bees have been know to travel great distances and visit many flowers. Once the nectar is collected, it is shared with other bees in the hive where it is processed and stored.

The honey bee is a good illustration of New Testament Christianity. Paul said we are many members but one body. Each member of the body is to share his gifts and abilities with the other members.

For the health of the hive one of the first tasks a bee has is to provide nourishment via the fluid from its milk glands. The same is true for the church: The members start with the milk of the Word and then move on to the meat.

During one of my last bee-focused discussions with Aunt Fern, I thought of the words of Jesus: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The sacrifical service of the honey bee is an excellent illustration of this principle.

Here’s a final thought to keep you thinking: To have a healthy humming hive, each person needs to be busy doing what is required of him–We are to be faithful stewards.

Free At Last

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One of my Christmas gifts was the book Unbroken. It is thecompelling of the life of Louis Zamperini.

The early life of Zamperini was one of hardship that led himto a life of juvenile delinquency; however, circumstance demanded a change, andchange he did.  He became an Olympicdistance runner who competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 

It was thought that Louis would become the first man to runa mile in under 4 minutes, but that changed with the start of WW II.  Like many young men of that era, Zamperinisoon found himself among the ranks of the military.

The book traces Louis’ life from his crash in the Pacific tohis arduous 47 days afloat on a raft; and, his time as a POW.  As the subtitle says, Louis’ story is one of survival,resilience, and redemption.

After his post war life began to crumble and his marriagewas about to fail, redemption was Zamperini’s only hope.  His wife convinced him to attend a revivalwith her.  During the sermon, the youngevangelist, Billy Graham, said something that reminded Louis of a promise hehad made.

While he had been adrift on the raft and about to die of thirst,Louis had made a promise–He would serveheaven forever, if he could only be rescued. 

Louis can still remember what Graham said:  Whenpeople come to the end of their rope and there’s nowhere to turn, they turn toGod—no matter who they are. Louis thought: Yeah, I made thousands ofpromises on the raft and in prison camp. He kept His promises, but I didn’tkeep mine. Louis went to the prayer room and made a confession of faithin Christ, and said: While I was still on my knees, I knew mywhole life had changed.

On that life-changing day, Louis Zamperini discovered thetruth of 2 Corinthians 5:17:  ifanyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold,all things have become new.  Fromthat day to now Louis has kept the promise he made on that raft in 1943.  This bombardier, who nearly died in the saltyPacific, kept his promise and became the salt of the earth and the light of theworld.

When Louis experienced the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, hehad an overwhelming desire to forgive those who had tormented him while a POW.  The hatred that had filled him was gone andat last, Louis was finally free.

SR 71 Blackbird

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I served in the Air Force from 1971 to 1975.  Most of them time was spent in ColoradoSprings.   There was nothing gloriousabout my job.  I drove up and down theflight line delivering supplies to the different hangars.
The tarmac by the last hangar was a little different incolor due to the fact this is where the SR 71 Blackbird was housed when it wason base.  The color of the tarmac matchedthe color of the Blackbird, so it would blend in with its surroundings. 
 
While I was in the Air Force, access to this now retired jetwas limited.  Today, people have easy access tothis engineering marvel, and one can be seen at the Kansas Cosmosphere. 
While in service, the Blackbird set many speed records.  As an example, it flew from LosAngeles, CA to Washington, D.C. in 64 minutes 20 seconds.
Because the high speeds created high body temperatures, theengineers had to allow for thermal expansion. To do this the fuselage panels were manufactured to fit loosely while onthe ground.   Once it was airborne,proper alignment was achieved when the airframe heated-up and expanded severalinches.  After a mission had beencompleted and the Blackbird had landed, the canopy temperature could be as highas 572 degrees.
The Blackbird had to be stressed (heated-up) before it wasfully functional.  The same is true forthe Christian:  We knowthat suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character,hope (Romans 5:1).
When a person experiences the trials of life firsthand, he developsa skill-set that is of great benefit to others. Notice the sequence in the following verse: The God of all comfort,  comfortsus in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with thecomfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
After I had worked on my porch one day this Summer, I needed a little comfort.   I shot a 2 inchflooring nail through my finger, and it was not one of my Praise the Lord moments.  While this was a minor incident, it is difficult to rejoice when the heartis heavy with sadness; you have received some detrimental news; or, you’ve suffereda great loss.
At times we may feel like we are wearing a bull’s-eye, andare the target of God’s wrath.  The pain creates such an intense inward focus that we forget there are hundreds of people around the worldhaving the same or similar experience.
When unwanted situations like these invade your life, rememberthat somewhere down the road, there’s a person who is going to need you toshare the lessons you’ve learned.   You will be the comforter to help those in need of comfort.

From the Comfort of My De-Uprighter

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From time to time my mind is prone to wander—times like a blowout football game (Texans 31—Bengals 10). So from the comfort of my chair, I began to ponder its nomenclature—why is it called a recliner?
After a little research, I discovered that incline, recline and decline are forms of the word cline with different prefixes added. Cline comes from the Latin verb clino (to slope, incline, bend).

The word incline is used in reference to something that deviates in an upward fashion from a horizontal plane. It is also used as an attitude of the mind, such as: I’m inclined to say . . .

Does this mean that if you are inclined to say something and want to take it back you have to decline it?

Now to the more important question: Why is my chair called a recliner? When I sit in it, I’m in an upright position. The prefix re means again. If I’ve never clined in the first place, how can I do again what I’ve never done?

Since I’m seated in an upright position, perhaps a different designation is in order. Would it be more accurate to rename my recliner a de-uprighter—down-right confusing isn’t it?

I’ve put a confusing twist on a couple of words to illustrate the approach used by people who want to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9). A common tactic is to take a little truth, mix it with their error, and spin it into a false teaching.

Another deceptive measure and common feature is to insist their message came directly from an angel. I find their angelic incursion to be a devilish diversion. Paul specifically warned about the role of angels in the Galatians passage above, and in other places he said that even Satan presents himself as an angle of light.

Solmon said that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (Proverbs 25:11). If someone is inclined to paint a new picture of an old doctrine, you may want to take a close look–it could be a counterfeit.

A Monarch Mind

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Even though I do not visit very often, I enjoy a walk through Botanica. The dedication of the many volunteers and dedicated staff is apparent in the beauty that surrounds the sidewalk path that snakes its way through this wonder of Wichita. A seasonal attraction I really enjoy is the butterfly house and 50 some species that are available for observation.

One species that is easily identified is the Monarch butterfly. Like all butterflies, the Monarch passes through 4 life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis phase), and adult. In a brief period of 28 to 30 days it morphs from egg to adult.

You can say that through metamorphosis, a butterfly goes from mush (chrysalis) to majesty (adult butterfly), in an incredibly short time. A YouTube video shows it taking just 1 1/2 minutes.

Metamorphosis is a theme mentioned several times in the New Testament. Once such place is in Romans 12:2 where Paul speaks of the transformation of the mind. Instead of being conformed to the image and philosophy of the world, we are admonished to be transformed by a renewing of the mind.

To effectively renew the mind a person may need to take a self assessment and clarify his values. Ask yourself: Are my values aligned with my life goals, the organization I serve, and most importantly with Scripture? If not, then change may be in order.

It has been said that values are caught and taught. Some values, like an infectious disease, are caught but are detrimental to our well-being. Other values, however, need to be captured and passed on because of their virtuous nature.

If a person is serious about renewing his mind a good place to start is with the Beatitudes and a commitment to practice these principles that were taught by Jesus. Yes, I did say practice, because it will take some self-discipline.

Steady and unwavering discipline to these principles will lead to a renewed mind and some healthy habits. Aristotle said:

“Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.”

I hope we can all undergo a little metamorphosis and experience a renewing of the mind.