Every year at Thanksgiving I write an article about how I’m going to be more thankful, an area in which I am frequently tested.

This past week, for example, I was at the Immigration Office here in Mazatlán, 40 minutes from where we live, handing in paperwork that I had started at the Embassy in Kansas City and needed to finalize here.  It was my third trip because I just didn’t “have things completed correctly” the first two times, as didn’t several other people waiting to have their numbers called. Trying to be thankful.  Trying to be thankful.            

This trip, I had only two hours allotted because of a hair appointment (important!), but I figured I could at least hand in my latest version of paperwork and again be told what I had done wrong.  Signing in, I was given the #18 card (not good), but when the lady called out “#15,” I knew I had a chance.  And I would have, had two, selfish people not walked in the door and gone straight up to the window without being given a number. Not thankful.

I began grumbling. Not exactly to myself.  Which is where things got interesting.  You see, I had taken along my Bible to catch up on my assigned reading for my upcoming Zoom study on Proverbs.  For an hour, I underlined key phrases (most of them, actually) that would make me a better person…verses like Proverbs 12:25: Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.   I was not glad. Or thankful. And that’s when I heard my name.

“Patty”?  I turned around to find Teresa, a friend of a friend, right behind me, smiling. She was there to help an elderly woman figure out the paperwork nightmare, as she had for several other people in the past. They had waited for a couple of hours, only to be sent to “the Coca-Cola lady” (called that because she also sells Coke products) down the street to have some copies made, one which had to be filled out in blue ink. (Mine was in black ink.) “Blue ink? Where does it say ‘blue ink’?” I groaned.  Of course, it didn’t.  Less thankful by the minute.

About that time, an elderly couple entered and struck up a conversation with Teresa.  (Even though holding a Bible, I looked as approachable as a cattle prod.)  Poor things had bussed to Mazatlán from Phoenix, but when they crossed the border, no one stamped their passports.  They had asked the bus driver about it, but he said that it wasn’t necessary.  He was wrong.

They would not be able to return home without that stamp.  Starting off at Mazatlán’s U.S Embassy, they were informed to come to Immigration for help.  Teresa told them to walk up to the window and ask.  “Proverbs” had kicked in, I guess, because even I didn’t object.  There they were advised to return to the border (11 hours away) and get their stamps.  Not even the Coca-Cola lady could help this couple. “Oh well,” the elderly man said, “I guess we’ll see a lot more of Mexico.”

He was finding something to be thankful for? And here I was, Bible in hand, fretting over making my hair appointment. What is wrong with you? I asked myself.  By the time #17 was called, I had to leave.  The next day, I was back, 45 minutes early.  Waiting outside, one of the workers—who must have recognized me—asked to see my papers. Soooo thankful.

She took them inside and quickly returned to explain that my passport has a small space between La and Roche, and when I typed it into my documents, I didn’t add the space. (I never do.)  I needed to “have things completed correctly” and return. Soooo unthankful.

That’s when someone nearby told me to go see the Coca-Cola lady down the street who (for a fee) corrected my paperwork.  Returning to Immigration, I was #10 in line, and six hours later, I had the document I needed.  Sort of thankful.

  But not really. I guess I’ll just have to work on this thankfulness thing next year.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

The door frame between my living room and kitchen is very special because that’s where my kids’ growth marks are recorded. Periodically, my husband would measure Mariam and Aaron’s height with a standard measuring stick or tape measure. The first measurement for Aaron was at two years of age and the last was when he was 23 years old. When he was in mid high school, he was concerned about his small stature. But between then and now, those tall Tucker genes kicked in and he’s now 6’2”. Mariam’s first measurement was at one year and the last was at 20 years of age. Both kids were always excited to see how much taller they had grown.

 

As believers, how are we measuring up spiritually? That’s a serious question only the individual can answer. It‘s our job to measure ourselves against the full and complete standard of God’s Word. It wouldn’t have done Aaron any good to have thrown a fit and demanded that we change the measuring stick just because he was shorter than he wanted to be. So if we search our heart (using God’s measuring stick) and come up short, we will need to make the necessary changes. “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1,2 NLT).

 

As Christ followers, we are to live in the light and by the Holy Spirit’s power. “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. So be careful how you live. Don‘t live like fools, but like those who are wise” (Ephesians 5:8-10,15 NLT). The light makes everything visible. In fact, I couldn’t read all the markings on the doorframe, therefore, I had to use a flashlight. I simply could not see clearly without proper light. The Light of the world is Jesus, so we need to cling to Him so our spiritual eyes and heart will be illuminated.

 

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he was defending his ministry and responding to criticism. “Of course, we wouldn’t dare to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. They compare themselves to one another and make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and then they judge themselves by their own standards. What self-delusion!” (2 Corinthians 10:12 TPT). God has made each of us unique and given us individual spiritual gifts to use for God‘s purposes and glory. It’s never wise to compare ourselves to another believer. Paul reminds us that we should look to Christ for our supreme model of behavior.

 

Using a tape measure is a daily common practice in the construction industry. When we built our home in 1980-81, I can remember my husband whipping out his trusty tape measure all the time. He measured twice and cut once. We live our lives only once so we better get it right or we’ll wish we had. “Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, ‘Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers‘” (Revelation 11:1 NLT).

 

The Key: Let’s examine ourselves by God’s standard measuring stick and be counted among the true worshippers.

Within a split second, I could have become a statistic when I came close to being run over by a speeding car. Dave and I were biking on a two-lane street, and the only reason I wasn’t turned into road-kill was the driver swerved into the oncoming lane.  The only reason she wasn’t killed was no one happened to be in her path.

It was my fault.  I pulled out of a side street, and instead of making a sharp right turn to stay on the edge of the road, I pedaled out too far in the direction of the car.  You know, the car with the driver with the right-of-way. The driver who fortunately was not texting or applying lipstick or smacking her kids in the back seat. The driver who was alert and paying attention.  Unlike me.

Dave was as supportive as he is capable.

“What in the world were you thinking?”

“Obviously I wasn’t. I was distracted.”

“Why didn’t you use your brakes?”

“Because I panicked.”

“Obviously.”

Sometimes, being alert is hard.  I’ve left my credit card, my favorite jacket, and even my kids when I failed to take care of what was important. I have run a red light, paid too much for a grocery item, ignored a sad waitress and waxed my eyebrows unsymmetrically. I have failed to check Google Maps before starting cross-country trips, erred in how much tomato paste I need for a recipe and mistook a stranger’s sense of humor for mine.

But unlike me pulling out in front of a car, those aren’t life-and-death issues. Life and death issues deal with…well, life and death.  Like dying and spending eternity somewhere…which, in my case, could have come from me not paying attention while peddling around that corner.  Staying alert is critical.

Look at this warning from Proverbs 4:20-26: Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! … Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts…Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you.                                                                                                   

Why do we have to be advised of something so obvious?  And why is it so difficult to pay attention to what should matter most?  God warned that the flood was coming, yet only eight people in Noah’s family believed and were saved.

As Lot’s kin fled Sodom, an angel cautioned them not to look back on their city.  Lot’s wife failed to obey and turned into a statue of salt.

Solomon was told not to worship false gods.  Did he heed the advice?  Uh, no.

God cautioned Israel through Jeremiah and Ezekiel of their impending captivity by the Babylonians.  They knew better than God…or thought they did.

The Bible gives us clear instructions as to how we need to pay attention, yet for many, that book serves only as a dust-collector instead of an instruction manual on how to remain alert and mindful of dangers ahead…  distractions that might cost them their eternal lives.

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom

 

In 1973, Vicki Lawrence became a one-hit wonder with her recording of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.“ Her husband, Bobby Russell, wrote the song and it reached #1 on the charts in the United States and Canada. Vicky is best known and loved for her successful comedy career on The Carol Burnett Show which aired from 1967 to 1978. Vicki actually introduced and performed her one-and-only hit song on the show. And then we never heard her sing another song on the airways again. She was a flash-in-the-pan  recording artist, but I still remember her and the song as being great!    

 

There’s an interesting account in the New Testament about a one-hit wonder named Ananias. He was a believer who lived in Damascus and one day the Lord spoke to him in a vision. He told Ananias to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for Saul of Tarsus. (Previously, Saul had been struck with blindness on the way to Damascus so his friends had to lead him on into town.)

 

Because Saul had a reputation for jailing and stoning believers, Ananias responded,  “’But Lord, I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon Your name.’ But the Lord said, ‘Go, for Saul is My chosen instrument to take My message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.’ So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight” (Acts 9:13-15,17-18 NLT).

 

The name “Ananias” means “the Lord’s gracious gift.” Saul needed this obedient believer to pray for him so he could receive his sight and be filled with the Holy  Spirit in order to fulfill the calling God had placed on his life. You might say Ananias was a New Testament flash-in-the-pan because we never hear anything about him again. I’ve wondered what would have happened if Ananias had refused to obey God‘s instructions. I’m thankful he rejected the spirit of fear and chose to obey, inspiring us to do the same.   Ananias was a man of God who didn’t let his trust rust — he used it to greatly advance God’s kingdom. His prompt obedience got Saul off the starting blocks with his ministry.

 

The important lesson to grasp is that Ananias obeyed God. As far as we know, he  was simply a believer, not a high priest, religious leader, pastor, or teacher. He received the strength and power from God to obey and perform his assignment. Any believer can be used to do God’s work. You don’t have to be qualified, you just have to be available — and willing to trust and obey.

 

Christ followers should have a full-fledged trust in God. Perhaps Ananias was quoting these verses on his way to pray for Saul: “But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God. My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me” (Psalm 31:14,15 AMP).

 

The Key: When the Lord says, “Go,“ let’s trust Him enough to obey in a flash.

A beekeeper once told author/pastor F.B. Meyer how some of the young bees are nurtured to ensure their healthy development. The queen lays each egg in a six-sided cell which is filled with enough pollen and honey to nourish the egg until it reaches a certain stage of maturity. The top is then sealed with a capsule of wax.

When the food is gone, it is time for the tiny creature to be released. The wax is so hard to penetrate that the bee can make only a very narrow opening. It is so narrow that in the agony of exit, the bee rubs off the membrane that encases its wings. When it finally does emerge, it is able to fly.

The man telling the story said that one time a moth got into the hive and devoured the wax capsules. As a result, the young bees crawled out without any effort or trouble. But they could not fly.                                                                                                                                                           F.B. Meyer said this: “Remember, it is through the struggle of the trial—the journey out of the pit—that the very best part of us takes flight. One day soon, you will look around to see that you are coming out of the dark.”

In Mark 10, we read about Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, who, when Jesus passed by, recognized him as the Messiah and called on him to show him mercy. Jesus’ disciples rebuked the beggar for such a display, but Bartimaeus continued to cry out.   How was it possible for a blind man to recognize what others did not?  Perhaps his spiritual eyes, the ones that really matter, were open, even though his physical eyes were not.  Bartimaeus recognized that he was a sinner in need of a touch from his Savior. Which is exactly what he got.

Verse 49-52 explains what happened next.  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they (the disciples) called to the blind man, “Cheer up!  On your feet!  He’s calling you.”      Throwing his cloak aside, the beggar jumped to his feet and neared Jesus who asked what he wanted.  “Rabbi,” he said, “I want to see.” Jesus’ response had to still the crowd. “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately, the blind man could see and followed Jesus down the road.

This man was in such a hurry to meet Jesus, he flung his outer cloak away.  Nothing would impede his haste to meet the one who would change his life forever.

Missionary Elizabeth Elliott once wrote, “Long-suffering is sometimes the only means by which the greater glory of God will be served.” Whatever you are going through, however dark your journey might appear, remember that the struggle can lead to your victory.  We all will go through dark periods…some much darker than others. Many times, all we need to do is choose light and get rid of whatever hinders us (like moths or cloaks). We need to look at our problems in the light of Jesus’ power instead of looking at Jesus in the darkness of our problems.

Yes, it can be as simple as that.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

As I backed the Chrysler out of the garage, I looked to my left and saw a piece of trash in the pasture that had blown across the fence.  When I returned home, I spotted it again but didn’t bother to take the time to retrieve it. After a couple more days of repeating this scenario, it finally dawned on me what I was actually seeing. As I walked toward the “trash” with my tape measure, I squatted down and measured an amazing 11”-diameter toadstool. Judging only by looks, things are not always what we think they are.

 

The next day, I had an entertaining conversation with my mother-in-law. It was Sunday and I had gone to the 9:30 a.m. service, returned home, ate lunch, and changed into work clothes because I wanted to pick up the sticks in my yard. But first, I grabbed my mother-in-law’s mail and headed to her house across the lane. When I entered the back door around noon, she looked at me and asked, “Didn’t you go to church today?“ I grinned and responded, “I went to the early service.” I don’t blame her for assuming I hadn’t gone to church because I looked like the grapes of wrath from the top of my head to my dirty tennis shoes. I was a Christian incognito — just like the disguised toadstool.

 

I’ve always been fond of the Old Testament account where the prophet Samuel is at Jesse’s place trying to find the right son to anoint as the next king of Israel. Like the rest of us, Samuel thought a king should have a certain “look” about him. “…Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ’Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ’Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:6,7 NLT). (The heart is the center of our inner life, the place of thinking, feeling, and choosing.)

 

The outward appearance of a believer is all anyone can literally see. So we need to remember that our everyday born-again lifestyle needs to correspond with our born-again  heart that obeys God and loves others. It’s good protocol to do a self-checkup on our heart quite often. What kind of facial expressions do we carry around? Have you ever had someone ask, “Why are you looking at me like that?” I have, and it wasn‘t a compliment either. The Bible describes our facial expressions as our countenance. What’s in the heart will show up on the face. “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance…” (Proverbs 15:13 NKJV). And after Cain murdered his brother, “So the Lord said to Cain, ’Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?’” (Genesis 4:6 NKJV). Either way, your face will surely show it.

 

Just as Jesus taught His followers 2,000 years ago, we find that it’s still all about the heart. “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart” (Luke 6:45 NLT). At that time, the religious leaders were only concerned with outward appearances and were completely neglecting inward purity, which was/is a big “No No” to Jesus. He spoke to them bluntly, “…You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy — full of greed and self-indulgence! …First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too” (Matthew 23:25 NLT).

 

The Key: Next time you wash the dishes, do your part and examine your heart.

Last Sunday, Randy, a pastor at the church Dave and I attended in Florida, stunned the congregation when he walked onto the stage with his arm in a sling.  He explained that the previous Sunday he had left the third church service early to go golfing.  His admission was met with laughter when he announced, “I know what you all are thinking.  Surely this couldn’t be part of God’s plan.”  He continued, saying that this was the first time he ever had exited church before dismissal and that he had a lot of guilt when he did…but not enough to miss his golf outing.

I admit, my first thought was that his priorities were out of whack and God had taught him a lesson the hard, painful way. He now would share that lesson with us and explain that as one of the pastors, his first obligation was to his church and he had erred in choosing sports over spiritual matters.

Not even close.

Randy was on the second hole when he heard two youngsters screaming for help.  He left his tee spot, followed the cries and was shocked to find the brothers drowning.  Somehow, in the middle of the rescue, he tore his rotator cuff.  Thus, the sling.

No longer were we congregants laughing or tsk-tsking his decision.  Actually, we gasped.  Suddenly, it became apparent that God had orchestrated Randy’s first-ever, early church departure in order to save two young boys’ lives.

Someone once said, “Nothing is easier than faultfinding: no talent, no self-denial, no brains, and no character are required to set up in the judging business.” So why is that our default button?  Why do we act in an ungenerous manner and make quick interpretations of a person’s motives? Jesus himself spoke about this behavior: Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  (Luke 6:37a)

Obviously, Jesus is not ruling out the legitimate place of judging others.  Judges must render verdicts in courts of law, elders must decide discipline cases in the church, managers must judge their employees’ performance, teachers must assess their students, etc. A few verses later, Jesus calls his disciples to judge people by their fruit (6:43-45). There are times when judging is appropriate.                                                                                                                                                            What is not appropriate is when our judgment is unwarranted or improper or haughty.  As commentator Darrell Bock says, “The idea is rather a judgmental and censorious perspective toward others that holds them down in guilt and never seeks to encourage them toward God. What is commanded is an attitude that is hesitant to condemn and quick to forgive. What is prohibited is an arrogance that reacts with hostility to the worldly and morally lax, viewing such people as beyond God’s reach.”

Dear Readers, we have to be careful and check our motives. When you first read my opening paragraph, did you not think—like I did—that God was teaching Randy a lesson?  That he got what he deserved?  Or were you happy that he had managed to find some time to relax and hang with friends?  Your answer—and mine—to that question determines the merciful (or merciless) attitude of our hearts.

To me, it seems that Randy’s lesson was a profound one from which we can learn much: God can show up anywhere He is needed…even on a golf course.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

3 Ps in a Pod

 

One morning I was thinking about God’s goodness and a description for the Word of God came to me as precious, priceless, and powerful — three Ps.

My late husband and I collected Bibles in different translations and it’s been a personal spiritual blessing to read through a different translation every year. Reading, believing and studying the written Word of God will illuminate wrong mindsets, change your heart, and strengthen your walk with Christ. The Bible is a love letter of great value to have and to hold all the days of your life. I have the letters my parents wrote to each other during World War II. They married in 1943 and in 1944 Dad was shipped out to the front lines in Germany. I’m sure  Mom didn’t procrastinate in opening his letters that made their way across the Atlantic Ocean. Why? Because they were from the one she loved and longed for.

 

God explains why believers should pay attention and listen carefully to His Words. “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to My words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body” (Proverbs 4:20 NLT). The entire body would include physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. God has made provision for everything we need in order to live an abundant, joy-filled, and peaceful life on planet earth.

 

When something is precious it is of great value, beloved, and dear. We often apply the word “precious” to the most sought-after gemstones such as the diamond, ruby, emerald, and sapphire. A lifestyle based on the Word of God should be a sought-after necessity for a believer. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NLT). With all of my being, I purpose to be a lifetime seeker.

 

When something is priceless it is so treasured and irreplaceable that its value and worth cannot be determined. We can apply the word “priceless” to our loved ones. And in God’s Kingdom, His Word is irreplaceable. If we combined all the books in the world and weighed them against the Bible, the scales would never balance out. What God says trumps everything that selfish humanistic mankind dreams up from pride. “You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right“   (2 Timothy 3:15,16 NLT). You’ll never go wrong by doin’ what’s right.

 

When something is powerful, it is strong and mighty. My daughter’s favorite TV series was Home Improvement where Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor modified machines and cars  for more power. I’ve used wimpy hair dryers and powerful hair dryers, and I prefer powerful because it gets the job done faster. “For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the One to whom we are accountable” (Hebrews 4:12,13 NLT).

 

The Key: Don’t neglect to read those love letters hidden in the P pod from God.

 

The unmistakable trend toward urbanization of American spells bad news economically for those of us who live in rural areas.  It means increased government spending in larger municipalities, increased state and federal representation by urban areas in our capitals, and more of our tax dollars being exported to benefit our big city brothers and sisters.  Just how strong is this trend?  Let us take a look at some of the numbers relative to our 3,140 counties in the last 120 years:

 

Census Year	US Pop.*	% Pop in Urban Counties	# Rural Counties that Lost Pop.	# Rural Americans*	# Urban Americans*
1900	76	32.4%	Unknown	51.4	24.6
2000	282	84.3%	576	44.3	237.8
2010	309	85.0%	1,082	46.4	262.7
2020	331	86.3%	1,660	45.3	285.7

(*) numbers in millions

 

The American trend toward urbanization has been going on since 1941, but has accelerated in the latter half of the 20^th Century and the first two decades of the 21^st.  For the first time since the number of states reached 50, rural America experienced a net loss of population between census years.  Column space does not allow me to get into the numbers, but the loss is more acute in the farm belt as compared to rural counties in energy sectors such as North Dakota and Pennsylvania.

 

Besides shuttered stores and deteriorating homes and infrastructure, the biggest threat to rural America is the increased taxation for those of us left behind.  Generally, local governments have not reduced in size as a result of the population loss, and costs have increased.  The highest mill levies in Kansas are in rural counties, including Bourbon.  We have held the line in recent years, but decades of gradual increases have taken their toll on us.  Urban counties can manage their mill levy much easier because of population increases and healthy jumps in total assessed valuation.

 

What is there to do?  We have to play both offense and defense.  We have to continue to work to fix problems that inhibit our growth and contribute to those wanting to move away, especially our high school graduates.  We have to dedicate ourselves to economic development, grant writing, and tourism.  With our time, talent and treasure, we have to invest in our not-for-profits who suport our most vulnerable and improve our culture.  We have to get behind our schools, even if we do not have school-aged children, and work to make them the best that we can muster.

How do we play defense?  That is the subject for next week’s column.

A friend sent me an email of the following story.  I found it preposterous but asked my friend who worked in the nuclear weapon’s lab to verify it.  He did, with only a couple of modifications, not significant enough to mention.

Scientists at NASA built a gun specifically to launch standard, four- pound, dead chickens at the windshields of airliners, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea was to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields.

British engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high-speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the British engineers.        When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer’s back-rest in two, and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin, like an arrow shot from a bow.

The horrified Brits sent NASA the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the U.S. scientists for suggestions.

NASA responded with a one-line memo:                                                                    “DEFROST THE CHICKEN.”

Such a minor detail, right?  But as we all know, that’s where the most problems occur.

Dave and I have been visiting with our son Jeff and his wife Kira.  Kira is taking classes to get her pilot’s license, and the more she explains what she is learning, the more I realize that I have no desire to fly an airplane.  Yesterday, she shared just how dangerous it is if a fowl fouls up a flight pattern. Or if she enters an airspace designed for bigger planes.  Or if a pre-flight inspection misses a minor detail (like the propellers hides a plastic cover over a vent).  And let’s face it, if you fly, you want every little detail taken care of by your flight crew.

There seems to be an epidemic of this missing.

At Burger King in Louisburg, Kansas, last month, only one man had shown up for work.  He took the orders, made the food and collected the money.  People don’t feel like coming to work?  Apparently, no big deal.  Then, when I was clothes shopping in a department store in Kansas City, two elderly ladies were running around, trying to place things where they belong.  I struck up a conversation with the manager. When she asked a couple of the younger workers why they didn’t put things in the right place, she was told, “I just don’t feel like it.”

Details!

Every employer needs a detail person, the one who looks at the big picture and calculates what needs to be done.  No one is better at that than God.  When you read the Bible, take notice of the exact dimensions God gave Moses to build the Tabernacle, of the specifics he gave Noah to construct the Ark, of the rules for sacrifices and obedience expected of the Israelites. Then think of the ways our bodies are designed and the structure of the planets.  God is definitely involved in the details.

And we should be too.  Let’s purpose this week to see the trees instead of the forest: an extra tip to the weary waitress; an offer to help the customer shopping in the wheel chair; a “thank you” to the trash collector; an email of appreciation to the frazzled teacher; an “I love you” to our spouse; a prayer offered…just because.

In so doing, you will be putting God in the details…right where He belongs.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

 

Close Enough to Hear

 

The other day I heard a woman say that she and her husband had agreed that they wouldn’t try to talk to each other if one of them was in another room. It’s just a fact that if you’ve been married 40+ years, you can’t hear as well as you did when you first said, “I do.” My normal speaking voice is “loud and clear,” but when I would spend the day with my Dad in his later years, I had to talk really loud so he could hear me. By the time I hugged and kissed him goodbye and drove home, I was worn out from basically yelling all day.

 

God will not use His “outside voice” when He speaks to His children. He chooses not to yell because He knows we can hear Him if we choose to. His normal voice is a “gentle whisper” (ref. 1 Kings 19:12). In fact, since God’s voice is kind and nonabrasive, it’s possible we could miss what He’s saying to us. But if we set our hearts to listen, we will hear Him. “God has given me the capacity to hear and obey…” (Psalm 40:6 AMP).

 

My family and friends know that I welcome their visits and phone calls. Healthy interactive conversation consists of, “Talk, Stop, Listen“ over and over until the conclusion. It’s hard to visit with someone who isn’t a good listener. It’s also hard to visit with someone who doesn’t talk. It takes two to tango in order to have a satisfactory conversation. I would suspect God is disappointed when His children don’t have a ready ear toward His voice. We’re eager to tell Him what we need, but we often don’t wait to hear what He has to say. If we’re guilty of not being a good listener, we should repent for our selfish and ungrateful  attitude.

 

I had a brief conversation with a fellow believer that said, “God doesn’t speak to me.”  I wonder if this individual is simply in another room when God speaks. In our energetic culture, believers may have trouble being quiet (which invites our Best Friend to talk to us). “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NKJV). We can miss God by living a hurried lifestyle, doing our own thing, and not making room for His voice. From the beginning night of Jesus’ earthly life, there wasn’t room for Him back then either. It’s definitely our responsibility to create a welcoming atmosphere so we can hear God‘s voice.

 

I’m certainly not wise enough to orchestrate my own life. I’d be yelling “Gee” when I should be yelling “Haw.” (These are unique voice commands to tell a workhorse to turn right or left when pulling a plow.) Christ followers want to live productive lives and bear good fruit for the Kingdom of God, but we desperately need God’s help to accomplish this goal. Jesus tells the crowd to listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: “The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matthew 13:23 NLT). I want to be good dirt and grow a big crop for Jesus — but first I have to listen and understand so I can produce.

 

The Key: Stay in the same room with God so you can hear and obey His voice.