Inspiration and Hope -

Things Aren’t Always As They Appear

No matter how obvious something seems, it just may not be what you think. There is an expression that says “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”? And rarely, is what appears to be an obvious truth, not the truth. This humorous phrase implies that a person can identify a subject, without closely examining it, by its appearance only. But what if that duck looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, but needs batteries? Is it a duck?

The following is a true story.
“A woman was flying from Melbourne to Brisbane …
Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sydney.

The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.

Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind.

A man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Seeing Eye Dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight. He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, ‘Kathy, we are in Sydney for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?’

The blind lady replied, ‘No thanks, but maybe Max would Like to stretch his legs.’

When the pilot exited the plane with the lady’s Seeing Eye Dog, all the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill.
The pilot was even wearing sunglasses.
People scattered.
They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!

How many times have you jumped to a conclusion prematurely about something and were completely wrong? I would venture to say “a lot”. Proverbs 25:8 says“Don’t jump to conclusions – there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.” – Proverbs 25:8 (MSG).

In the Book of Job, Job’s friends wrongly concluded that their friend Job suffered because he was being punished for sins he had committed, for they believed that God would not cause anyone to suffer innocently. But the Bible says that Job was a righteous man.

“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24,). Do not be quick to judge based solely by a book’s cover.

Origination of phrase:
The phrase,“when I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck”, is thought to have been coined by an Indiana poet by the name of James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916). The phrase is sometimes referred to as the “duck test”.

The more common wording of the phrase may have originated during a labor meeting of the United Auto Workers in 1946 accusing a person of being a communist: “I can’t prove you are a Communist. But when I see a bird that quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, has feathers and webbed feet and associates with ducks—I’m certainly going to assume that he is a duck” (Sentinel, John, September 29, 1946, “Communist Expose The Case of the Duck”).

Source of story herein:
Tall Tales … — Bell Air R/C Flyers, www.bellairrcflyers.com/about/tall-tales-truisms/

Prayer: Lord, help me to not judge the worth or value of something or someone by its outward appearance only, but help me to look more closely before making judgment.

Time with God Cannot Be Hurried

Forgive the cliché, but in a “fast food world” and in an America where men would like their cars fast from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, I suppose many of us regard prayer in the same way. Fast is okay, we think. Let’s just get our prayer done and get the show on the road. Besides, God will understand. I am busy, and I will have fulfilled my daily prayer obligation.

How many of us actually think that way? I got up this morning, downed my cup of coffee, said a few prayers and was off to work. But hold on a minute! “I think I just blew past my exit”, or at least in the sense that I missed God’s exit. God says, “Time with Me cannot be hurried. When you are in a hurry your mind drifts aimlessly back and forth between Me and your tasks at hand”.

I recognize that prayer is often times difficult, especially when our thoughts are not focused on God to start with. My mind is running a mile a minute when I get up in the morning. But even with our busy schedules, God would ask, “could you not carve out from your busy schedule some time to pray to Me?”

Too many people I have spoken to, either because they are too busy or because they can’t focus, do not strive or persist at prayer and give up after 5 minutes. One person, I know, went to her pastor after trying to set aside a time to pray, and said to her pastor that it was too hard and that she was giving up. Here is what a mom was quoted as saying “Another race against the clock with only seconds to spare for a few “popcorn prayers” shot up to the Lord throughout one more busy day in the life of a mom” (2004, Welchel’s Busy Mom’s Guide to Prayer xii).

How many of us compensate, for lack of unhurried prayer time, by having “popcorn prayer time” or “flash prayers” throughout our day as a substitute? Please do not take this the wrong way because I believe sporadic prayers throughout the day are all well and good, for we are instructed to pray morning, noon, and evening; but I also believe God wants us to find some time alone with Him to pray. When we do, we will be filled with His Presence, peace, and joy.

God wants more than anything for us, to spend quality time with Him. And when we take the time to seek His face, only then can we commune with Him and transcend both time and circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, in my busyness, help me to stop and pray to You. Help me to set aside a dedicated time to You that is unhurried, a time that I can sit and listen to Your still voice without the clutter of busy thoughts.

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Ducklings remind us to never give up

My niece Tracy Hutzel and Jason David posted to YouTube a video of ducklings trying to climb stairs in order to be united with their mother who was just ahead of them at the top of the stairs. To them, the stairs were their Mt. Everest. The video went viral and has over 3 million views. You will enjoy this short video.

ABC News reported, “These little ducklings are the perfect reminder to never give up on your goals, big or small”.

Similarly, we too should never give up on our deepest desires, and our quest to be victorious in prayer. Sometimes, however, things just don’t come easy, and I too am challenged by the steps I need to ascend. For me, as an example, it might be when I pray for something and it seems that God does not hear my prayers. I am impatient. But God would encourage me to keep persisting, just as we are reminded in the video of the ducklings who never stopped trying until they achieved their goal of being re-united with their mother who stayed near, and who never abandoned them.

What do you strive for? What is your Mt. Everest? For me, God also reminds me to pray fervently and keep at it. But my mind flitters back and forth between Him and my tasks for the day, my concerns and worries. Sometimes I don’t know what to pray, and prayer is seemingly dry and unproductive. Be encouraged though, and don’t give up. Paul encourages us to “strive to pray” (Romans 15:30). Whether you feel like it or not, just do it! That is half of the battle won. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Many people I have spoken to, either because they are too busy or because they can’t focus, do not strive or persist at prayer, and give up too easily. One person I know, went to her pastor after trying to set aside a time to pray, and said to her pastor that it was too hard to pray and that she was giving up; not like the ducklings who in the video persisted and persisted until they conquered their Mt. Everest.

Interestingly, the mother duck in the video waited just ahead of her flock of ducks until all were united before moving on. She never abandoned them. God too is faithful and waits for us, for it says in Deuteronomy 31:8 that “the LORD is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged”.

The Fumble

Ever had that “uh-oh” moment, that sinking feeling? We all make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes lose games, so to speak. In our minds and hearts, we often know what the right thing to do is because God speaks to us through our minds and hearts; but sometimes, our stubbornness, self-sufficiency, and self-reliance get in the way and cause us to listen to a contrarian voice. It’s “my way or the highway”. How many times have I made things worse because “I did it my way” or because I did not heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit or my heart?

It wasn’t just any fumble, it was “The Fumble”. There are only certain words that can describe the jaw-dropping sinking feeling that I felt when the ball was fumbled: anger, shock, despair, and disappointment. In a football game that will go down in history as one of seismic proportions was the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, in 1978. I was watching the game. The Giants were leading 17-12. All they had to do was take one more snap and kneel with the ball, and the clock would run out. It would be a huge upset over the Philadelphia Eagles that would put the Giants in a possible playoff picture if they won.

With 30 seconds to go in the game, Joe Pisarcik called the snap.
“Brown right, near wing, 65 slant!”
Pisarcik took the snap and went to hand it off to fullback Larry Csonka.

So, as the credits rolled on the television broadcasting system and Giants fans streamed out of the stadium with a seemingly sure 17-12 win, the unthinkable happened.

What was Coach Joe Gibson thinking when he called that play? The playbooks would say to just kneel and run out the clock. Logic would say don’t flirt with disaster. Even a Football 101 Guide for Beginners would say to take the knee and run out the clock. But contrary to logical thinking and common sense, right reasoning did not win out.

Sadly to say, the Giants did not win the game and would not have a chance at earning a berth in the playoffs. The play called for fullback Larry Csonka to take a handoff from quarterback Joe Pisarcik and run it in for a touchdown, but the play was botched with Eagles cornerback Herman Edwards picking up the loose ball and running it in for an Eagles touchdown instead. If quarterback Joe Pisarcik had only taken a knee, the Giants would have won the game.

Instead of jubilant celebration, there was a mood of despair and a sickening feeling that prevailed over the Giants and their fans. Angry Giants fans demanded that someone be held responsible for this debacle. Needless to say, Coach Joe Gibson was fired the next day. The “I did it my way” reasoning would have a severe and lasting impact. So great was the stigma attached to this one decision that Joe Gibson made, that he would never work at any level of football again.

The play will always be remembered by the Giants as “The Fumble”. To this day, Joe Pisarcik is still asked about it. Joe is quoted as saying 35 years later, by Mark Di Ionno, columnist for the New Jersey Star-Ledger, “People come up to me and actually say, ‘Hey, do you remember that play…?’ I feel like saying, ‘No, I’m only reminded of it 89 times day.”

Could Joe have reversed Joe Gibson’s play call? Well, what people don’t know, is that a couple of weeks before, Joe Pisarcik did change one of Coach Gibson’s plays and was severely reprimanded for it. According to Mark Di Ionno, Coach Gibson screamed at Pisarcik, “Don’t ever change a play I send in, ever again! Pisarcik said. So when the (fumble) play came in, the guys in the huddle were like, ‘Joe, don’t do it. Just fall on the ball.’ I said, ‘No way, I’m not going to get yelled at again.’” Final score: 19-17, Eagles over Giants. Joe Pisarcik’s legacy would be sealed in stone forever.

All of us have fumbled at one time or another. I can personally relate to this. For me: All I needed to do was apologize, but instead, I had to argue and defend myself. All I needed to do was listen, but instead, I had to open my big fat mouth. All I needed to do was be patient, but instead, I rushed into a situation before planning, and as a result, the outcome was less than desirable or even disastrous; all because I had to do it myself without listening to or hearing from God.

One thing that we can learn from our “uh-ohs” is to do it God’s way the next time. And when we do it His way, we will always come out the winner, for if Christ lives within us and we are in tune with His Holy Spirit, we will be victorious.

Romans 8:5-17; Ephesians 3:16-19

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be sensitive to the promptings of your Holy Spirit in matters of my heart and in making daily decisions. Help me to do it “Your Way”.

REFERENCE:
Mark Di Ionno, “35 years later, ex-Giant Pisarcik takes The Miracle at the Meadowlands in stride”, December 23, 2013, http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2013/12/35_years_later_nfls_pisarcik_t.html

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My Way or God’s Way post …

My Way or God’s Way

My Way or God’s Way

When you feel stressed or encounter difficulties, do you let those stresses and difficulties alert you to your need for God, or are you quick to solve them yourself?

One Saturday morning during a Pause Ministry men’s meeting and breakfast, a title on the book shelf caught my eye. It was “The Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual”. Of course, this was a complete guide to fixing and maintaining anything and everything around your home. But it made me ask the question, “How many of us have that Do-it-yourself mentality when it comes to fixing that which is broken in our inner self? How many of us are quick to give advice or solve a problem before hearing God on a matter? How many of us do it “My Way” and not God’s way?

Some trivia – In 1968, Frank Sinatra recorded a song entitled “My Way”. It was also the title of a record album, for those of us who remember record players, and a song that hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It became so popular that, just to name a few of the dozens of artists who recorded it, there was Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, Tom Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Andy Williams, Gipsy Kings, David Bowie, and U2. The Three Tenors performed the song on July 22, 1996 during their concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey at Giants Stadium. The version by Elvis Presley even went Gold in the U.S with over 1,000,000 recordings sold.

And now, the end is here My Way Frank Sinatra
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and ev’ry highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!

We are in a world today that stresses self-sufficiency. You can find almost any type of self-help literature for fixing things, but so few of us go to God first. Although self-sufficiency is acclaimed in our society, the “I can fix it myself” mindset does not bring the peace of God, nor does it bring abundant living in Christ.

Just out of curiosity, I did a Google search with the keywords “I can fix it myself”. The query returned a number of self-help book titles such as You Can Heal Yourself, or You Can Heal Your Life, and other mind over matter titles. All were definitive guides to managing our own spirituality and energy without God. Many of these titles can also be found by querying the keyword “spirituality”. Spirituality, according to one definition, is the “progressive unlearning of the strange ideas about God you’ve been taught…”.

Another definition of spirituality and in a Biblical context, the term means being animated by God (Waaijman, 2000), to be driven by the Holy Spirit, as opposed to a life which rejects this influence (Wong, 2009). Such spirituality emphasizes dependence on God. For those it is the belief that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. If we abide in Him and He in us, we will be fruitful and productive and at peace in Him, for apart from His Way we can do nothing (see John 15:5). God did not instruct us to deliver ourselves from our stresses and difficulties and our brokenness. Rather it is God on whom we should set our hope, whom we should rely. It is He who will deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10).

We are a society that is emotionally driven. Our decisions are a mix of our feelings and of our thinking, and because we are human, we are this way. “The mind is the most restless, unruly part of mankind” (April 21, “Jesus Calling”). The Bible, however, teaches that successful resolution of problems and difficulties is not the product of self-dependence, but instead the product of surrendering our difficulties to God, and by being grounded in biblical principles.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to come to you daily for deliverance from all my cares and worries, fears, and sorrows. Help me to rely on You for answers to life’s problems. Help me to do it “Your Way”.