Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker

Grin Like a Possum

(I know the proper spelling is “opossum” but I’m choosing the Southern spelling.) When I was in sixth grade, our music teacher would roll the piano into our room and we would sing, sing, sing; I loved music class! We had a variety of songs in our book and the teacher would often let us choose what we wanted to sing. I remember singing about a possum: “Possum gravy can’t be beat, hi-a-way, hi-a-way home.” I’ve never had possum gravy, so I have no idea if it’s the best – I’ll just take the songwriter’s word for it! I’ve seen a possum bare its teeth and it looks like a big grin – a very ugly big grin.

For humans, what’s in a smile? Well, a smile is an affordable way to instantly improve our looks! A smile is a natural heartlift for the person who sees it. There are unspoken words in a smile, e.g., “You’re valuable,” “You’re appreciated,” “You’re doing a good job,” etc. My mom once told me, “Smile at people – it costs you nothing.”

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face, a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day” (Proverbs 15:13 MSG). When we smile at people, I think it actually helps them get through their day. When I accidentally nearly run over someone with my grocery cart, I’m hopeful that my apology and smile helps them to forgive me. (There’s a blind spot when I’m turning from one aisle to the next – I need a horn and a turn signal on my cart!)

Our countenance is important because it affects us, plus those who see our face. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22 NLT). If you think you have nothing to smile about, think again. “Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? I fix my eyes on God and soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God” (Psalm 42:5 MSG). And remember that your smile is not about you, it’s about the person with whom you’re interacting. We need to smile for the other individual’s benefit; no doubt he/she could use it to brighten the corner of their world.

In the movie Top Gun Maverick, there’s a short dialogue between Captain Maverick and the Chief Warrant Officer Bernie Coleman. Right before takeoff for the test flight to hit Mac 10, Bernie says to Maverick, “I don’t like that look, man.” Maverick retorts, “It’s the only one I got.”

I sure like the look on Robin’s face when I see her twice a week. When I walk into the reception area of the fitness center, she flashes her big beautiful smile and makes me feel welcome and loved. Her instant nonverbal message says, “It’s good to see you; I’m glad you’re here!” What a big difference her genuine smile makes to everyone’s day! I just realized why she looks 20 years younger than her actual age – it’s because she smiles a lot! It takes more muscles to frown than smile, so Robin is living proof that’s true because she doesn’t have any wrinkles!

The Key: Do yourself and everyone else a big favor – smile!

Last week, I wrote about Jesus’ command for us to be salt, to add flavor as witnesses for him. Salt makes a difference. So should we. Unfortunately, too many Christians fail to recognize the need to make a difference in others’ lives. We are spoiled, we are selfish, and we fail to impact others the way that salt impacts food.

Adam, our son, recently traveled to Nigeria with some of his E3 Foundation team to look for ways to help with the Christian murders taking place in that country. His group had an opportunity to speak with 25 widowed women living in a refugee camp whose husbands recently were killed by an evil terrorist group determined to wipe out those who disagree with them.

Adam shared that the widows’ faith was remarkable. They trust that God works all things for good and for His glory, and He is the One they want to honor. Their husbands had been buried in a mass grave, they were left to parent their children alone and with no income, yet they chose to live out their love for God in a way everyone could see. They are salt, even though they are targeted to be killed.

Of the 4,849 Christians murdered for their faith worldwide, 3,490 were in Nigeria, according to “Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026”, yet overall, over 56,000 Nigerian civilians have been killed. The armed murderers, Fulani Muslims, enter villages with the sole intent to slaughter anyone who disagrees with them (largely, undefended, Christian farmers). The murderers have raped and abducted hundreds of victims, including children.

Nigerian churches abound (one boasts a seating capacity of over 100,000 people), yet with no guns for self-defense, they cannot physically defend themselves. Nevertheless, they do what they can to be salt. They create a thirst for the truth of scripture by offering hope to these villagers to help them live out their faith in a meaningful way.

Christians are called to be a preserving influence in society, helping to maintain moral and ethical standards and resisting corruption and decay. How do you show your saltiness? Do you recognize that your only purpose on this earth is to improve others’ lives? How do you flavor a conversation? An action? Are you an encourager? Fun? Adventurous? If you choose to keep to yourself and not spread your salt to others, you are missing an opportunity to fulfill your purpose, to make a difference.

We must engage with the world around us, to bring out the best in others. Like those Nigerian widows, we need to create spiritual thirst in others by living in such a way that others are drawn to the hope and joy they see in us. Let’s pray for God’s help in removing anything from our lives that diminishes our saltiness.

Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker

I was Born to Do This

I had a 14-inch-diameter corner post that had been useful in years past, but was no longer needed. It was nothing more than an annoyance to mow around. Naturally, the responsibility of removing the post fell to my son. I watched Aaron on the tractor as he expertly operated the tractor’s front-end loader and pulled up the huge corner post. I was impressed with how easy Aaron made this massive chore look – it was like pulling a toothpick out of an ant hill! I walked over and complimented him on a job well done! He shot me a subtle smile and matter-of-factly said, “I was born to do this.” I wasn’t about to argue with him because the proof was in the pudding.

His statement, “I was born to do this,” reminded me of a song that the Happy Goodman Family made popular when I was in my teens. “Born to Serve the Lord” has been recorded by various artists, but nobody sings it like Vestal Goodman. The straightforward lyrics, penned by Bud Chambers in 1959, are as follows:

“From the dust of the earth my God created man. His breath made man a living soul. And God so loved the world He gave His only Son, and that is why I love Him so. My hands were made to help my neighbor. My eyes were made to read God’s Word. My feet were made to walk in His footsteps. My body is the temple of the Lord. I was made in His likeness, created in His image. For I was born to serve the Lord. And I can’t deny Him, I’ll always walk beside Him for I was born to serve the Lord.” Believers can be like Apostle Paul who had one passion, and that was to serve Christ by serving others.

Sometimes, when a subject of interest is over my head, I’ll ask an “expert” to explain it to me as if I’m in third grade. I like to challenge the individual to put it in the simplest terms so I can understand the answer as clearly as possible. Often times, Christ followers make following Jesus more complicated by thinking they’re supposed to be doing something earth-shattering for the kingdom of God. But Jesus very simply explained how we’re supposed to live as believers.

Jesus told His disciples, “You will lead by a completely different model. The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others, because the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant. For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give His life in exchange for the salvation of many” (Matthew 20:26-28 TPT). In our dog-eat-dog world these scriptures seem ridiculous to nonbelievers. But when we are good and helpful to others, we’re actually loving and serving God.

Believers were born to serve the Lord so, instead of being afraid that God will call us to go to Africa as missionaries, it’s more likely He’s calling us to get off the couch and do good to the people we rub shoulders with and also strangers. Jesus plainly states that, “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. …Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:35-36,40 NKJV).

The Key: Let’s jump in with both feet and serve the Lord! We were born to do this.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Worst Party Pooper Ever

Jesus would often teach the crowds by telling parables (earthly stories with spiritual meanings). One of His most-familiar parables is about the prodigal son. However, there’s a great lesson regarding the other son too. In order to make the story simpler to write and read, let’s name the two brothers: Prodigal Pete is the younger brother and Selfish Sam is the elder.

So a father had two sons. Pete told his dad he wanted his share of the estate. So Dad distributed their inheritance between the two sons. Soon, Pete packed up and traveled to see the world. In no time he managed to waste all his inheritance in extravagant and reckless living. He was starving and homeless, so he begged a farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. Pete finally came to his senses and decided to go home, admit he was wrong, ask for forgiveness, and work as a hired servant since he didn’t believe he was worthy to be called a son after all he’d done. So when Pete arrived home, his dad was delighted, and immediately threw a “welcome home” party.

When Sam heard the celebration of music and dancing and was told that Pete had  returned home, he became angry and refused to go in the house. Not an ounce of forgiveness could be found in Selfish Sam’s heart. He was raging inside with the fact that Pete had dragged the family name through the gutter. Sam was not happy or thankful that his little brother had rejoined the family.

Sam’s dad left the party to find out why he was acting so terrible. Sam responded, “Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him. And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’” (Luke 15:29-32 NASB).

It’s interesting to note that Sam wouldn’t even claim Pete as his brother. He referred to him as “this son of yours.” But Dad reminded him that “this brother of yours” is worth celebrating! Sam’s self-righteous legalistic spirit demanded that Pete be punished with no room for mercy. Sam chose to stew in the juices of anger and bitterness and be a party pooper. A life lived with no love, forgiveness, or mercy is actually no life at all. Sam even tried to steal the moment of celebration from his brother and make it all about him. He claimed he had never done anything wrong. Well, maybe so, but because of his selfish attitude, hateful actions, and unloving words he proved he was in the wrong now! Glen Campbell would tell him to try a little kindness.

When someone in your life makes a genuine change for the better, don’t throw a wet blanket on their celebration of restoration. Show forgiveness and mercy and top it off with a blanket of love.

The Key: Don’t be a party pooper!

I am a stickler for rules and reasonable requests.  Right now, I’m sitting on a plane, watching passengers board.  The flight attendant just instructed us not to place two items in the overhead compartment.  The smaller item needs to go under our seats.  Two people in front of me placed both of their carry-ons above them, and now there is no room for other passengers’ suitcases. That irritates me. I want to rat them out to the flight attendant, and if my “don’t get involved” husband weren’t sitting next to me, I probably would.

The request over the intercom to “Please place your overhead items on their sides so that the overhead bin will hold more bags” is ignored by passengers three rows ahead of me.  I tell Dave that I’m going to let them know.  He suggests otherwise.  After all, I “haven’t been a flight attendant for 50 years.”  That irritates me too, and yes, I mean the selfish passengers and Dave. These rude ones need to be held accountable.

If that isn’t enough, the woman in the row ahead and to the right of me thinks it’s cute for her four-year-old son to entertain us for 20 minutes with “Jingle Bells” in his three-mile voice.  When he tires of that, we hear the “ABC” song.  Over and over and over again.  Why are the two old ladies in front of me looking at him and smiling and telling him what a wonderful voice he has?  They must be related.  Lord, help me.  I need ear plugs.

Personally, I believe that common courtesy has relocated to the “endangered species list.”  People who don’t crowd in lines.  Those who never say, “I’ve changed my mind and don’t want this hamburger, so I’ll just set it here by the Kleenex” but instead, do the right thing and return to its refrigerated compartment.  Drivers who don’t tail gate or swerve in and out of traffic to get to their destination two minutes earlier.  Dog owners who clean up after their pets.

Let’s face it.  Too many people have become “the exception to the courtesy rule.”  No doubt, you too can add to this list, but I wonder what would happen if people were held accountable…like the newlyweds who sent out this “Missed RSVP” notice: “We’re sorry you can’t make it to our wedding.  Our RSVP deadline has passed, and you unfortunately did not respond.  We would have loved to have you attend, but final numbers have now been turned in and your presence will be missed.”  Signed, “Bride and Groom.”

I find great satisfaction in this response, and I applaud the nerve of the future newlyweds…unless the one who responds late is me.  Case in point: within two months, I missed two very important get-togethers.  No excuses, for there was no one to blame but myself.  In those cases, accountability was not what I sought; I wanted mercy.

Who set a better example of mercy than Jesus Christ, clearly setting the example for how we all are to treat one another?  He never knew the “satisfaction” of holding his torturers responsible or of punishing his disciples who left him hanging to his death on the cross.  Quite the opposite.  “Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do.”

I read that and admit, I need to be a lot more like Jesus.  But what would Jesus do if the people did know what they were doing, like the plane passengers who were being disrespectful to the other passengers?  Would he confront them?  I would hope so.  And if he did, I would be the first to applaud.

Dear Lord, have mercy on my soul.

In the Bourbon County minutes from December 19th, 2017, the county voted to buy 2 Caterpillar 120M2 road graders. Presumably, those are still being used. According to the spec sheet, these tractors are 8 meters long and produce 106 dB when measured in accordance with ISO 6395:2008. That ISO standard says that noise levels for equipment that is 8 meters long should be measured from 16 meters away.

If a sound is 106 dB at 16 meters (~52 feet), it will be right around 102.9 dB at 75 feet.

Feel free to double-check my math. Here is the sound attenuation formula I used.

According to Bourbon County Ordinance 50-25, which Tran and Beerbower voted for, but Milburn voted against, the following is illegal:

Any noise greater than 55 dB outdoors (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) near sensitive areas (residences)….These measurements recorded within 75 feet from the source shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.

The ordinance goes on to say that any person violating this ordinance is subject to a fine of not more than $500, with a new offense (and presumably another fine) for each day the violation is repeated.

Best I can tell, our elected officials have passed an ordinance that makes it illegal to operate a road grader during the day on roads where there is a house. Does the county buy new road graders that are smaller and quieter? Do the roads need to be graded by hand or mules now? Are all the roads in the county going to be paved so road graders are no longer needed? Who pays the fine? Is it the operator or the county commissioners?

Fortunately, the stakes are low for this particular ordinance. If the county ever tries to fine someone (or fine themselves) for breaking this ordinance and it ends up in court, I’m sure a judge would have a good chuckle, asking the two commissioners what they were thinking when someone they tried to fine $500 points out all the county operations that fall under the wide umbrella of 50-25.

It is silly and kind of funny. To be fair, everyone makes mistakes. Many mistakes are what we call honest mistakes. Other mistakes are considered negligence. The difference is whether the decision-maker acted with prudence or recklessness. Neither of the two commissioners who voted for it thought to ask, “How loud is the equipment the county operates compared to what we are trying to outlaw?” Neither of the two commissioners who voted for it thought to ask, “How loud is my air conditioner?” Neither of the two commissioners who voted for it thought to follow their lawyers’ advice when he suggested the proposal be given to the planning committee for consideration of the potential impact.

What do you think? Is 50-25 an honest mistake, or is it a sign of recklessness?

Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share your opinion, please send a letter to news@fortscott.biz. 

Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker

Stay in Sync

Have you ever watched a movie where the sound was not in sync with the actor’s lips? That drives me nuts! Or have you ever ridden at night with someone who didn’t use their headlights on high beam? That drives me bonkers and scares me all at the same time. One of the important rules I learned in driver’s ed was to not overdrive your headlights. If you’re driving faster than the distance your headlights allow you to see clearly, you’re overdriving your headlights; so you might not have enough time to react to that unexpected deer crossing the highway. If your speed and headlights are not in sync with each other, you may find yourself calling 911 and your friendly insurance agent.

When Christ followers run into a patch of spiritual fog, we need to slow down and get in sync with God. We don’t want to overdrive our life and speed past God as He waves a yellow flag at us. He knows the perfect lane of life that we’re supposed to travel upon. Whether we’re two steps ahead, or two steps behind, our goal should be to match God’s speed. When we’re in sync with Him, the peace of God quiets our minds and rests our hearts. We can put our hand in His and feel safe like a little child. God knows the way out of the fog and we can wholeheartedly trust Him to work on our behalf. “The Lord my God holds my right hand; He is the Lord, Who says to me, Fear not; I will help you!” (Isaiah 41:13).

In this new year, it’s good to be excited about new beginnings. However, believers need to be careful that we don’t go off half-cocked! We need to avoid the mistake of not praying about a new venture simply because of our enthusiasm. It’s vital to pause and ask God what He thinks about it. “I am one of God’s sheep and His sheep hear His voice” (John 10:27). He’s faithful to give us either a green light or a red light.

Christ followers shouldn’t give in to the temptation of arrogantly thinking we’re smart enough to run our lives by ourselves. Life will see to it that we don’t have what it takes to drive solo. “Pride lands me flat on my face, but humility prepares me for honor” (Proverbs 29:23 MSG).

When we’re presented with a new opportunity or need to make an important decision, many times a friend will say, “Sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning.” This is excellent advice because when we’re asleep, our minds are peaceful, clear, and at rest from thinking. Right before you fall asleep, you can ask God to give you the answer you need. “When I am deficient in wisdom, I ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given to me” (James 1:5 AMP). It’s possible that when you awaken in the night, God will reveal the answer to you because your mind is at rest and ready to hear.

As believers read God’s Word, listen for His voice and obey, we are better able to stay in sync with Him. He is faithful to keep His promises and we can trust in His plan and purpose for our lives. Even when we’re in the dark, our heavenly Father knows every bend and hill on our journey.

The Key: Stay in sync with God and you’ll never overdrive your life.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Let’s face it.  We love to be heard, to have others want to listen to what we have to share.  The spotlight on us, all ears attentive.  And even though we have been entrusted with a “secret” that no one else knows, even though we have been told not to share, we can’t help it.  Well, we can…but we don’t.  After all, we have the spotlight.  We can be heard.

There are a few places in Scripture where an individual is told to keep silent but doesn’t.  Not a big deal…except of course, it is.  This morning, while reading in the gospel of Mark, I read that a leper begged Jesus to heal him.  Jesus, “moved with compassion,” cleansed the outcast.  In 1:43, Jesus “strictly” warns the leper not to tell anyone.  He is to go to the priest and follow the protocol for a healed leper.  And. Not. Talk.

I get why the healed man couldn’t keep his mouth shut.  I mean, it’s not like people aren’t going to see the difference.  One day, you’re covered in sores.  The next, you’ve just been given the $7000 HD Diamond and Ruby Peel facial.  (Think baby’s skin.)  When people ask, the leper can’t pretend that he doesn’t notice that he no longer has sores covering his body.  He has to be ecstatic, for he has been given a new life.

Did Jesus really expect him to lie about the miraculous healing and act like he had no idea how his body had changed?  Couldn’t he just tell his BFF or his family?  And trust them to keep his secret?

Uh, nope.  This quote proves it: “If you want to keep a secret, tell no one.”  Get that?  Not even your pinky-promise friend because your gut is churning to share something that nobody else knows.

Have you ever noticed how all attention turns towards you when you start a conversation with this: “You wouldn’t believe what I just heard!”  Does anyone speak to your sin and respond with, “If this is something negative about someone, I don’t want to hear it,” or “Is this something we need to know?” or “Are you positive that what you are sharing is the truth and needs to be told?”  Probably not.  More than likely, all ears turn your direction, eager to hear the juicy gossip you are ever-so-willing to divulge.                                                                                                                                                                Why are we so eager to share?  According to Behavioral Scientist Jessica Salerno’s research in “Morality, Punishment, and Revealing Other People’s Secrets,” …people keep their own immoral secrets to avoid being punished but are motivated to reveal others’ secrets to punish them for immoral acts.” Hypocrisy at its finest!

Scripture refers to our tongues as “a restless evil.”  Get that?  Our tongues are sins on steroids! John Gotti once said this: “Don’t ever say anything you don’t want played back to you someday.”  Smart advice.

“Loose lips sink ships” is a slogan coined in World War II by the War Advertising Council and was part of a larger propaganda campaign warning that careless talk might be overheard by enemy spies and could undermine the war effort. The imagery stirred guilt by implying that openly discussing sensitive matters could have disastrous consequences.

The next time we consider loosing our lips to share some information with which we have been entrusted not to share, perhaps the psalmist’s prayer should be our own: “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).