I can think back to my younger years where I was reckless and put myself and others in harm’s way. There were several times where I or someone else could have been severely injured or worse, yet we weren’t. What if I had married a girl who I thought was right, but really wasn’t? What if certain doors were allowed to remain open so that I made terrible financial investments? I can think of many times when, “no” or “nothing” ended up being a real positive in my life. How about you?
By Jim Lewis Do you remember the panic over the potential computer shut-down when Y2K happened, (the start of the new millennia)? There was great fear of chaos in the world economy, air travel, national defense and with many other vital systems that we rely on. The results could have been devastating, yet thankfully the computers worked and nothing happened. Nothing was good. Have you ever considered how your life has been affected as a result of what didn’t happen? The negative consequences of what could have been?
I can think back to my younger years where I was reckless and put myself and others in harm’s way. There were several times where I or someone else could have been severely injured or worse, yet we weren’t. What if I had married a girl who I thought was right, but really wasn’t? What if certain doors were allowed to remain open so that I made terrible financial investments? I can think of many times when, “no” or “nothing” ended up being a real positive in my life. How about you? By Jim Lewis Do you ever do things for someone just because you love them? How about in response to something they have already done for you? Many people will only contribute if they get something in return, like “What’s in it for me?” Where do you see yourself in all of this? I’m not talking about showing up for work and not expecting to get paid, or saying yes to every request for help every time, but to examine our motives behind the yes and the no. Am I helping only out of obligation, for personal gain, or just because I want to? What if God asked you? Would you say yes, and If so why?
By Jim Lewis What is the value of good neighbors? I can honestly say that we have great neighbors. They are almost like extended family and they really do add to our quality of life. Most people at least are willing to get along with others nearby, but once in a while there is one or two who don’t and can even be confrontational over real or perceived disputes. Hopefully you are not on either side of one of these situations. I wonder, what makes a good neighbor. Am I one of them?
I see three types. Those seeking privacy and guarding property lines, those willing to help when asked, and those willing to help without being asked. Where are you with that? Where am I? Am I willing if I am expected to help? How about when you get nothing in return or are taken advantage of? Do you stop being a neighbor to them? Where does my neighborhood stop? Or does it? By Jim Lewis My friend’s nephew is missing part of one of his legs from the calf down. Normally he wears a prosthetic and walks in a very normal fashion. Sometimes around the house however, he chooses to walk around without it. My friend has a difficult time describing the feeling he has when he sees how noticeable and painful it appears when his young nephew walks this way. He has a chance to witness what others don’t. The hidden deformity and struggle is revealed and I expect that this makes him love him even more. I imagine that many people seeing this young man on the street do not even recognize his hidden struggles, yet they are there. Would they treat him differently if they knew? Would you?
The truth is, we all walk down the street with hidden struggles. Whether it be some personal failings in our character or harsh life circumstances that we are dealing with, there are things going on that others do not see. I can sometimes be short with people when life is weighing me down. How about you? “If they only knew what was going on in my life…” Yet we carry our burdens and shortcomings, and like a pant leg rolled down over a hidden prosthetic, very few see them. By Jim Lewis One of my daughter’s favorite Andy Griffith Show episodes is entitled, “Barney and the Choir.” Barney, (Don Knotts) joins the choir and sings so far out of tune that it hurts your ears. The singers are all in harmony until he enters in, then what was beautiful turns sour. An out of tune piano, guitar or other instrument can give the same effect or If someone does not sing or play along with the others in a song, then it stands out like a sore thumb, even if they sing or play well. If all of the players, (Like a beginners children’s orchestra!) are out of tune and/or sync then…the term, “Only a mother could love” comes to mind!
By Jim Lewis What is your bank balance? Rather personal isn’t it? You probably have a pretty good idea what it is but for most of us, that information is between us, our banker and if we have one, our spouse. Banking for most, “Middle Class” folks, it is a fluctuating, week to week, month to month, year to year process and if we are fortunate and plan well, there is a slowly building savings, college fund and/ or retirement account. There is wisdom in this and as the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is a great idea for the here and now, but what about after this life? Is there investment banking in Heaven and if there is, are you failing to plan?
God and His word say that there are eternal investments that we can make here in this world. Talk about long term investing! In fact, these investments are one of the major reasons that each one of us is born. The problem is that many of us don’t realize it, acknowledge it or focus on it. We get caught up in the necessary busyness of life and live with a, here and now instead of a there and then perspective. God wants our actions here to be from an eternal perspective. He wants us to live each day with ETERNITY in mind and to live in the future tense. By Jim Lewis I just read where an ant can lift up to 5,000 times its body weight. That would be like a 175 pound person lifting 875,000 pounds! That would be about 438 tons. What an impressive engineering marvel the ant is, yet if a person steps on it, he has absolutely no chance of lifting him off. How about if you set your gallon of milk down on a moth at the picnic table? Let’s say that the moth is still alive under one of the cavities at the bottom of the milk jug. What is the likelihood that the trapped insect can lift the jug off and gain his freedom? I would say slim to none or less, and slim left town and none is packing his bags. Actually, the moth has NO chance by himself and from his perspective, he would need miraculous help.
By Jim Lewis Up until recently it was very hot with possibly the most hot and humid days of the summer. It didn’t take long to work up a thirst. I can remember throwing bales of hay in metal roofed hay mows during the, “Dog Days” of summer. After a while, wanting a drink dominated my thoughts. It was an exaggeration, but I felt like I was, “dying of thirst.” At that point the standards were lower and almost anything drinkable would have been accepted. Sometimes we were able to sneak a drink of ice cold milk straight from the barn’s milk tank! That was MAXIMUM SATISFACTION. What tastes best to you when you are thirsty?
By Jim Lewis Remember picking up teams on the school playground? Two captains are chosen and then each has a turn in selecting a player for his or her squad. Where were you selected? First, middle, last? How did it feel? Being selected early felt good and boosted your self-worth. Being one of the last left us feeling less than worthy and unwanted. Sometimes it feels good just to belong, to be wanted. Doesn’t it?
By Jim Lewis There is a neat story about how they catch monkeys in the jungles of Borneo. A hollowed out coconut with a hole in one end is attached to a chain and staked out to something solid. They spread green bananas around it on the jungle floor and inside the coconut they put some smashed up banana. As the monkeys pass through they start eating the bananas and invariably one discovers the coconut. The hole is large enough for his hand to fit in, but not to get it out with a hand full of banana! The desire to hang onto the treat outweighs logic and common sense and eventually the tired out monkey is caught. He just won’t let go.
By Jim Lewis Do YOU believe that your best days are behind you? Consider the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen. Can you name it? Now how about the best smell you have ever experienced, or the very best thing that you have ever tasted? Can you name, in your opinion the best idea that man has ever come up with? Now think about the very best experience that you have had in your lifetime. Can you imagine any or all of these things ever be improved on?
What if I told you that they ALL will be? Interested? Better days are coming for some of us. God says so, if you are one of His children. If you are not, please consider this. By Jim Lewis Do you ever listen to the disclaimers at the end of prescription medicine commercials? The description and testimony of the product is lively and positive, then at the end there is this quiet monotone list of warnings and restrictions. Some go on for a long time! I sometimes find myself asking if the risks outweigh the rewards. At least the medical ad disclaimers are usually understandable. I get a kick out of the ads where at the end there is someone who talks super-fast giving the list of additional conditions and expenses. How about those commercials with the very tiny and lengthy paragraphs at the bottom of the screen? The law says they have to tell you, but they make it next to impossible to get the information. High definition or not, I'm not sure you can even read some of them! The premise of all these ads is the same. What we say about the product is true, if...
By Jim Lewis “Try not to get old.” That’s what an old-timer once told me. I have been trying not to, but… A friend was recently told that he has a tooth that needs to be extracted. It has been worked on in the past, but is finally worn out and is to the point where it cannot be saved. It’s going to be yanked out and where it was will be a void. Are you getting older? Do you see your life like my friend’s tooth? Have you been worked on, worn down and are eventually going to be yanked? Let me tell you what my friend found out.
By Jim Lewis Are you familiar with the phrase, “Running around like a chicken with his head cut off?” Maybe you’ve seen it; the headless bird runs full speed in random directions ramming into things and flopping about. A decapitated snake will writhe and thrash about for quite a while and like the chicken will act, “alive” for quite a while., but they are dead and just don’t know it.
By Jim Lewis Years ago when I lived in Florida, a next door neighbor asked me if I wanted to go to church with her the following Sunday. Although she was friendly and asked nicely, I’ll never forget her reaction to my response. After I politely turned her down she replied, “Well I won’t think any less of you then.” Boy did that turn me off. I can remember thinking for the longest time, “Well I won’t think any less of you for going then!” Since then I have discovered that her perspective was way off. Christianity is not an, “I’m better than you” situation. In fact, it is just the opposite.
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