comedy

Carnac the Magnificent

/ insightbyseymour / Leave a comment

carnacLast night was a night of weird dreams, and for some reason I was on the Johnny Carson show playing the role of Carnac the Magnificent. I had the routine down perfect: I held a sealed envelope to my head, and I gave the answer to the question inside.

I said: The answer is, we would be in a world of trouble.

Johnny took the envelope from me, opened it up, and read the question: What would the world be if everyone were to be just like Johnny?

When I woke up this morning, I thought about the dream and asked myself the question: What would the world be if everyone were to be just like me?

As I wondered about my answer, I remembered the words of Albert Schweitzer: The full measure of a man is not to be found in the man himself, but in the colors and textures that come alive in others because of him.

As I reflect on the dream and on the words of Schweitzer, I think the common link is influence: How do I influence the world as a whole and the lives of others as individuals? When people examine my life, what do they see?

  • Is it a person of pale green who is full of envy or one who admires the accomplishments of others?
  • Do they see the drab darkness of hate or the bright hues of love and light?
  • Do I weave the thread of encouragement into conversations so I can motivate others to believe and achieve? Helen Keller said: Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement…no pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.
  • Am I a good role model and an example in my speech, conduct, love, faith and purity (I Timothy 4:12)?
  • Do I see obstacles as opportunities or do I wither under the weight of what might be?
  • Do I live the exemplary life of Paul, who said: Join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us (Philippians 3:17).

All of this brings me back to my question: What would the world be if everyone were to be just like me?

When Life Gets Messy

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lhStan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were known for their slapstick comedy, and they appeared in many films from 1926 to 1944.  The signature dialogue in their scripts was the disdainful comment: Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into.

I know I’ve gotten myself into many fine messes, and when my life has been a wild mess, God’s taken me to the wilderness to get my attention. In fact, this is an underlying theme of the Old Testament: God intervenes in the wild messes of life.

No one likes to be taken to be taken to the woodshed, but there are times when God disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). God does this to, instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you (Psalm 32:8).

I’ve come to realize that some of my problems are self-inflicted due to the poor choices I make; but, it is also true that I’ve been an innocent bystander caught-up in the circumstances of life. Like Joseph, we need to realize that God can be at work; and, we need to take an eternal perspective on life: As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day (Genesis 50:20).

While it’s hard to see the silver lining in the dust clouds of the desert, when we learn to trust God, we eventually make it to promised land and enjoy His blessings.

Jacob as an individual and Israel as a whole learned this lesson:

He found him out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, guarding him as the apple of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young. Then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly. God alone led him; there was not a foreign god in sight. God lifted him onto the hilltops, so he could feast on the crops in the fields. He fed him honey from the rock, oil from granite crags, curds of cattle and the milk of sheep, the choice cuts of lambs and goats, fine rams, high-quality wheat, and the blood of grapes: you drank good wine! ~Isaiah 32:10-14 (The Message)

Because the messes of life will either define you or refine you, I’ve learned to ask a question:  What can I learn from this?  Then I make the decision to trust God, and I’m confident that He is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan (Romans 8:28).