Tools of the Trade

Some people just do not want to hear an encouraging word. Ever run across someone like that? You see a friend/family member/co-worker is in need of encouragement and they follow every uplifting thing you say with “but….” negating anything positive they could have taken from your words. When people are in that mode and mindset, they are convinced that nothing you said applies to them because their situation is worse. Encouraging words falling on deaf ears. That can prove to be a deadly silence when they hide behind the well-oiled door of "but..." and give the enemy more opportunity to work his evil.

A modern parable has been written about the tools of the enemy. I believe we can really learn from it…assuming we actually ‘hear’ what it has to say.

Some time ago, an advertisement appeared in which the devil was putting all his tools up for sale. On the day of public inspection, each one of his tools was marked with its selling price: Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Doubt, Lying, Pride, and so on, were each on the block. Set apart, however, from all the rest of the pile, was a harmless-looking tool, well-worn, but priced very high — it was Discouragement!

Someone asked the devil, ‘Why is that one priced so high?’ He replied, ‘Ah, that one is more useful to me than all the rest. With it I can pry open a man’s heart and enter, when I cannot get near him with any other tools. Once inside, I can lead him any way I choose. The tool is very worn because I use it on almost everyone, since few people know it belongs to me.’

The enemy loves to sow discouragement — but believers have a tool much more powerful — encouragement! We can speak a word into the lives of those who desperately need to hear it: to the college student adjusting to his new environment, to the missionary who may feel alone in the harvest field, to the disillusioned newlywed young couple, to the forgotten servants of God who labor in an obscure and difficult ministry, to the orphans and the widows, to all those who need to hear a word in due season!

Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

We have the power in our lips to rekindle a discouraged soul. Let’s inspire one another with words of encouragement! It costs nothing, and reaps an eternal reward…encourage one another daily, as you see the Day draw near. [Hebrews 10:25]

The Cost of Happiness

In this crazy world today more people are buying into the ‘more stuff + new stuff = happiness’ trap. This can be material and/or relational stuff. Tired of the old couch, get a new one. Bored with the same spouse, get a new one. We, as a culture, seem to place a high value on acquiring ‘new stuff’. It is not a matter of ‘need’ but a ‘want’ we are trying to appease. Regardless, when we give ‘stuff’ power to determine our level of happiness we are no different than the monkeys discussed below. Watch for the parallel.

Charles Swindoll wrote about these men who bring in animals from Africa for American zoos. They say that one of the hardest animals to catch there is the ring-tailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it’s simple. They’ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years.

The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.

     

      The monkey is determined not to let go of the seeds because he is convinced they will make him happy. Apparently, sitting with his hand stuck in a melon is not too high a price for the creature because he clings to his possessions to his own peril. Know any people like that? Of course you do. 

Recently, I have been witness to a couple going through divorce. It amazes me the tenacity to which ownership is being exercised over material things. So much so, that one party clings to retaining things they do not even want but claim them just so the other party will not get them. This isn’t about the tragic loss of a marriage but about who can walk away with the most toys and possessions. I guarantee you none of the stuff will fill the void in their lives when the dust settles. Not one piece of furniture or box of dishes will matter then.

There’s a pretty clear moral to this story, wouldn’t you say? If we really want to be free, we must let go of the material things we love. The more we hold on to our earthly possessions, the more frustrated we will get and eventually, we will be entrapped.

Let’s let go of the worldly things we’ve been holding on to. God has much greater things for us to be doing than sitting here with our fists in a melon!

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Feral at Heart

I’ve spoken before about the feral cats claiming squatter’s rights to our front deck. Today the Lord used them as the subject for the holy tap on the shoulder. I’ve been up and doing my morning reading for some time now and while I read many an inspirational scripture, nothing jumped out at me as what the Lord wanted me to write on. So I left my office and made my breakfast while I waited on Him. Normally, the blog is long gone before I have breakfast and I do my ‘mommy’ chores of feeding the cats as I head back to my office to get back to work. This morning, no blog was forthcoming and I rearranged my routine. I’m glad I did.

                The cats gathered just outside the front door. Some on the table, a few on the bench, some with paws on the storm door watching for my approach. As I start to open the door to go out, they mass around my feet and I have to watch carefully not to get tripped up as they circle waiting for their breakfast. We store their food outside on the deck in a sealed bin inside a closed ice chest; they know it’s there, thus their close proximity to the door and food.

This morning as I bent over to scoop up the food, the Lord said - This is how some people approach me. They clamor for my provisions but keep their distance when I want to reach out to touch them, to love on them. As I ‘heard’ this in my spirit, I ‘saw’ masses of people circling in prayers of want and need. Like the cats, they waited - some impatiently, for God’s provisions to fill their needs. As their ‘bellies’ became full, they wandered off keeping a wary eye on the Lord, making sure He didn’t get too close lest their independence be threatened. That’s when it hit me, people are feral at heart.

We want the regular food to count on but only allow a brief touch once in a while to pacify our provider. My Honey thinks he makes progress in his relationship with the cats by strategically placing their food between his feet so he can touch and rub on them. They tolerate a small amount of this touching but it is out of need, not love returned. We know the difference, so does God.

Our dogs want nothing more than to lie down beside us, to climb up on our chests, to get as close as they possibly can, to love us back. They don’t care if we’ve been gone all day and out of sight or if they have been sitting next to us for hours, it doesn’t matter. Any and every chance to draw closer is utilized. The cats, meanwhile, do not ‘live’ with us in our home. They watch from the outside, peeking in through windows at the life going on. They witness it from a safe distance wanting only to insure their needs are met. We are but stage actors in their world with a part to play. Sadly, far too many people view God the same way.

This isn’t a dog vs. cat story. We love them all, just as God loves all people. It’s a poignant point the Lord wants to make with us today. It takes more than lining up in prayer for what you expect and/or hope the Lord will provide for you to have a real, loving relationship with Him. He will love and care for you because He loves you but look at all you’re missing when it’s not a true relationship where you love Him back. It’s not enough to ‘love’ that He provides. We need to seek His face, climb up in His lap and get as close to Him as we can on a daily basis. Love sought and returned changes the shape and condition of the feral heart.

Watch Out for theTypo's

I was working on the blog for this morning about the glorious greens of spring when God stopped me short to point out something. The holy tap on the shoulder is familiar but once and a while He makes me stop writing a work in progress to make His point.

I type every day. By mid-afternoon, my fingers stop cooperating well and I spend more time correcting mistakes than I care to admit. Bear with me and I will, I promise, eventually get to the point God was showing me this morning. Way back in high school, I wanted to take a drafting class my senior year. I had completed all the required classes to graduate in my junior year but I was one of those strange ducks that liked school and wanted to stay. I previously had an art teacher that taught us to draw buildings and cities in perspective over bowls of fruit. I loved it and thought a career as an architect sounded interesting. I had a knack for it so I signed up for the drafting class.

The first day of my senior year, I was angry and disappointed to see they had replaced my drafting class with a typing class. I did not want typing. I saw no good reason to take it and went to my counselor’s office to find out why I was not in drafting. Remember, this was a long time ago. I was told the drafting class was usually filled with boys and since I was a girl, they put me in typing. If you know me the least little bit, you know this did not go down well at all. All my other classes were music and the arts. They didn’t think drafting would benefit me. TYPING! No way! I never crossed the threshold of the typing class. I never got to take drafting either. I spent the entire year working in the Dean of Womens office that class period. Blah!

I said all that to say this, I learned to type on my own. I did not learn the proper way and therefore am not as efficient as a trained typist but I am fast and get the job done. I’m a writer, I type a lot. 

Recently, a new curious habit popped up. While typing along as I think, I have noticed that each time I am typing the world ‘from’ I end up with the word ‘form’. I’m buzzing along and there it is: f-o-r-m. My fingers do it without so much as consulting my brain. It’s not a huge thing but it is a nagging bad habit that forces me to stop being productive and correct my mistake. You’d think it would go away after a while, but it happens nearly every time I attempted to use the word ‘from.’

 
This is the point I feel God was pointing out. We all try to rid ourselves of the known sins, the ‘biggies’ in plain sight. Perhaps we’ve become efficient at acknowledging and taking a stand against those hidden sins we think no one knows about, too. Regardless of how ‘good’ or ‘spiritual’ we think we are, most of us have some nagging bad habit that pops up and throws a monkey wrench in the flow of our daily spiritual life. Maybe you don’t see it all the time, but just get to thinking you’ve got all that holy stuff down and BAM, there it is, right in front of your face. It doesn’t take much; a little slip of the tongue with a snarky comment, a selfish action or thought, and the point is made. You have to stop and correct your behavior just like I have to stop and change my f-o-r-m to f-r-o-m. 

Maybe this is a God thing rather than an enemy thing. Maybe its God’s gentle way of keeping us humble so we don’t think more highly of ourselves than we should. Perhaps it is a speed bump on the highway of life to make us more purposed and focused on ridding all sins and unpleasing habits from our life. 

Regardless, without the corrections made, our work (life) is riddled with mistakes.