Blog Archives

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

5/30/2022

It’s called the “Murph Challenge”, or sometimes simply the “Murph”. It is a W.O.D., or “Workout of the Day”, named for Lieutenant Michael Murphy, one of the three U.S. Navy Seals who died in Operation Red Wings, and the subject of a book and movie titled Lone Survivor. It was Murphy’s favorite routine for staying in shape. It has also become a worldwide phenomenon undertaken annually on Memorial Day.

It consists of the following: a one mile run, followed by 100 pullups, followed by 200 pushups, followed by 300 squats, followed by another one mile run. Oh, and by the way, all of this is technically supposed to be done while wearing a 20 pound vest of body armor!

Now, these days, I only run when I hear the dinner bell! And most of my pullups consist of pulling my chair a little closer up to the supper table! So, as much as I might like to, I will not be undertaking the Murph Challenge anytime soon.

But to his everlasting challenge, my youngest son, who is a fitness freak, did just that earlier today. Granted, he was not officially entered in any sort of competition or event; but he still undertook the challenge as a way of personally honoring Michael Murphy (and all others who gave their lives in defense of our country and our liberties) on this special day.

This does not mean that I, myself, did not exercise today. I took my usual walk and then ensconced myself in my easy chair to watch a war movie marathon on television. As I write these words, Saving Private Ryan is on. The movie is noted for its gritty battle scene in which Captain John H. Miller leads his command, Company C, 2nd Ranger Battalion, as they fight their way ashore on Dog Green Sector of Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

More so than any other Hollywood production, this one film arguably captures the essence of what that “day of days” must have been like!

But I love the penultimate scene as well. In it, Captain Miller has just been mortally wounded protecting the life of Private James Francis Ryan, whom he was sent with a squad of men to find and retrieve. With his dying breath, he whispers two simple words to the much younger Ryan: “Earn this!” Miller is obviously referring to the sacrifices so many others have made in order that Ryan can go on to experience a long and hopefully full post-war life.

The final scene then reverts to the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, France, where Ryan has, after many years, returned to the grave of Captain Miller. As the scene unfolds, the elderly gentleman stands from where he had been kneeling in front of the gravestone and earnestly pleads with his wife to assure him that he has been a good man and that he led as good life. Thereafter, he turns to face Miller’s grave marker, and with tears running down his cheek, salutes his fallen commander.

Why do I so love this scene? Because it reminds me that, as an American citizen, I too have been called to live a life this is worthy of the sacrifice that was undertaken by so many brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen on my behalf! I pray I will not ever live a life that is unworthy of their devotion to duty!

And what is true of my responsibility as a citizen of my country is also true of my responsibility as a believer who is a citizen of Heaven. The Amplified Translation of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Ephesians (in chapter 4, verses 1-2) puts it this way:

“So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior--a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation], with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another [a]in [unselfish] love.”

A fairly common bumper sticker proclaims, “Only two people ever died for you - The American Soldier and the Son of God.” Given this, especially on Memorial Day, I trust that the life I live is one counted worthy of their respective sacrifices on my behalf.

WORKOUT SOURCE:

https://themurphchallenge.com/pages/the-workout.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/amp/ephesians/4.htm.

SEE ALSO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Murphy;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Red_Wings;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Survivor_(book);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Survivor; and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saving_Private_Ryan.

LITTLE CONSEQUENCES!

5/27/2022

It’s the smallest of things - a little screw no more than an eighth of an inch long. But oh, how important it is! If you don’t believe me, just try being utterly dependent upon your eyeglasses, and then losing this little screw that holds the metal frame around the lens.

This happened to me recently when I went to remove my glasses, and the right lens literally fell out of the frame between the split second of time after they left my head and before reached the table top. Upon examination, I discovered that the little screw atop the right side of my glasses was missing. And as I was soon to learn, no amount of finagling on my part was going to solve the problem. All I could do was take them back to where I got them and have them repaired right.

As I have reflected on this brief experience, I have been reminded that some of the smallest parts can often be the most critical. For instance, I remember reading something in a book by James Robison titled Living Amazed about the three smallest bones in the human body.

According to Robison, these bones are found in the middle ear, and are called the malleus, incus, and stapes, but are perhaps more commonly known as the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. He writes: “The hammer is arranged so that one end is attached to the eardrum, while the other end forms a lever-like hinge with the anvil. The opposite end of the anvil is fused with the stirrup (so anvil and stirrup act as one bone).”

Known collectively as the middle ear “ossicles”, the three bones work together in obscurity, completely invisible to the outside world. Yet, they are absolutely essential to our ability to hear. Without them, only 0.1 percent of the sound energy that hits the eardrum would be transferred to the inner ear. But because God has arranged these tiny parts in a way that maximizes their leverage, they produce a sonic effect far beyond their diminutive size.

Robinson then points out that, just as the human body has no insignificant parts, the body of Christ has no small or unimportant members. We all have a sphere of influence - however large or small, however visible or invisible - and we all have a vital role to play in God's plan for redeeming and restoring the world.

Thus, we may be as well-hidden as a bone in the inner ear, an internal organ, or a foot inside a shoe, but every person is absolutely essential to the eternal purpose of Almighty God. As the Apostle Paul puts it in his First New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 12, verses 18-22):

“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.”

Wow! Certain parts of the body that seem the weakest are actually the most necessary. In like manner, I’m thankful for the three little bones inside both my left and right inner ears! Without them, I could not hear correctly. Nor could I walk correctly, as the inner ear helps to give my body balance and steadiness!

And when those times roll around, as they sometimes do, that I feel like I do not have much of an impact on the body of Christ, or its purposes, I think about the bones of my inner ear. For, just like the minuscule little screws that hold my eyeglasses together, they are indispensable to the effective working of my senses.

Moreover, while I may not always be aware of the significance of my contribution, the Lord always is; and this fact alone makes the part I play indispensable and worthwhile!

BOOK SOURCE: James Robison, Living Amazed: How Divine Encounters Can Change Your Life (Grand Rapids: Revell Publishing, 2017), pages 203-204.

NOTE: As a quick Google image search will show, all three of these little bones can fit neatly on a dime coin, looking as they do like three little chicken wings on a large plate!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/nlt/1_corinthians/12.htm.

“ALL THE GOOD GUY SUPER HEROES!”

5/23/2022

Last Thursday evening, my wife and I attended the preschool graduation of our oldest grandson at the local church where he has been enrolled. As he prepared to receive his little diploma up on stage, he was asked what he wanted to do when he grew up. He gave his full name and then responded that he wanted to be “All the good guy super heroes!”

Well, we sing the praises of our little hero, for we are understandably proud of him and his accomplishment, and trust that it will be but the first of many, many milestones reached in his life.

After the ceremony ended, there was a small stir among several people in the crowd as we all transitioned out to the large reception room where we were to make pictures, enjoy refreshments, and mingle. It turns out, my grandson attended preschool with the grandson of one of the most beloved sports celebrities in Knoxville’s recent memory.

This man had come to see his grandchild graduate, and was all but mobbed as individual after individual made the effort to speak to him. Now, by no means is my own name a household one; but having pastored one or more large churches, I know what it is like just to desire a little anonymity in the midst of a crowd.

The last time I saw the poor fellow, he was headed into the restroom. While he could well have felt the need to visit, he may just as likely have desired simply to be left alone.

And for this reason, I chose to remain focused on why I was there, which was to celebrate with my family, and not to inflate my own sense of self-worth by being able to say that I rubbed elbows with any given person.

That is not to say, however, that I did not interact with others. I soon came across an elderly gentleman wearing a U.S. Army cap, and promptly thanked him for his service to our country. A little later on, I encountered an aging man adorned with a cap that said “Vietnam” with appropriate military insignia. Given what he and his fellow service members endured when they returned form Southeast Asia, I made sure to speak to him and offer my thanks for his willingness to serve our country.

A little while later, I crossed paths with a uniformed policed officer, who was kissing his wife good-bye as she held the hand of their proud little graduate before heading out the door, obviously to resume his local patrol. I shook his hand and thanked him for his service to our community.

I did these things because I truly believe that such men are our real heroes. Now, hear me out. I do not in any way mean to diminish or belittle the accomplishments and/or value that sports heroes have in our world. They certainly serve their purpose as they entertain us and inspire us to make the most of our God-given talents and abilities.

As a child, I certainly had my own share of sports heroes. I could name every member of the Atlanta Braves, and most of the Atlanta Falcons. I spent many a night listening to them on the radio, and many a moment imitating them in play during the day.

But as I aged, I came to realize that there were plenty of other heroes in this world who were worth idolizing and imitating as well; only these wore uniforms of a slightly different nature. They wore Army and Navy and Air Force and Marine and Coast Guard uniforms rather than mere sports uniforms. They also wore police uniforms and fire-fighting uniforms and medical uniforms. And they arguably contributed more to my safety and well-being than did any of my sports heroes.

Memorial Day is a little over a week away. As this holiday unfolds, please remember to make it a priority to take a little time to seek out and thank those who have worn a uniform in order to guarantee your freedom and your safety.

For as the very name Memorial Day indicates, many who have worn a uniform for whatever reason are no longer among us today, many having paid the highest price on our behalf. It is important, therefore, to sing their praises, both while we still can, and while they are still among us to hear our hearts. Otherwise, they will be destined to remain unsung heroes, never knowing how much their service and sacrifice truly meant to us.

FOR THE BIRDS…

5/19/2022

As a little boy, I was absolutely scared out of my wits the first time I ever saw the movie, The Birds, by Alfred Hitchcock. But not so scared that it stopped me from watching it again and again on those rare occasions whenever it was shown on TV!

Of course, the fact that I tuned in was also due, in no small part, to the fact that I had a crush on Suzanne Pleshette (who was later to portray Emily, Dr. Bob Hartley's wife, on The Bob Newhart Show). That plus the fact that I also thought Rod Taylor was way cool – sort of like an everyman “James Bond”. But I digress…

The one part of the movie that scared the heebie-jeebies out of me was the scene where Tippi Hedren was seated on the bench outside the school, and the birds were amassing for an impending attack on the children. When that attack came, it was gruesome; and I have never forgotten it.

These days, I understand that the whole scene was masterfully staged by Hitchcock. In fact, ii is only in this day and age of digital movies that an attentive viewer can recognize that very few live birds were actually used. The vast majority of perched birds were fake ones (never moving), periodically interspersed for effect with a few live (and visibly animated) birds.

Hitchcock’s one blooper in the scene is evident without digital slow motion. All the gathering birds in the scene are black crows. Yet, when the ensuing attack on the schoolchildren actually occurs, most of the birds appear to be white seagulls! But who am I to question the master?

These days, birds don't really scare me all that much. After all, down through the years, I’ve fairly well mastered them. As a small boy, I took my BB gun and killed a bird that was raiding my father’s fruit trees. Later, as a hunter, I went on to harvest my share of turkeys, geese, ducks, dove, and quail.

But nowadays, I've come full circle. Granted, the walls of my man cave are now adorned with mounted specimens of the various species of birds I just mentioned. Perhaps this is why I now spend less time wanting to master them and more time appreciating them, both for their beauty and for the blessing they so often bring to my life.

In this regard, perhaps, I have even more in common with Noah of old than I thought. As I referenced in my previous post, I am finding that, in my old age, I now share his proclivity for horticulture.

The Biblical text also relates how Noah, having raised a family, built an ark, gathered the world’s animals, and survived the flood, likely came to value and appreciate the significance of birds in his life. As Genesis chapter 8 makes plain, Noah first cared for, and then received, a blessing from both a raven and a dove.

And thus, in addition to hours spent planting fruit trees, grape vines, and berry plants, I have been busy as of late hanging bird houses. To begin with, I have now hung multiple song bird houses. Trees all over our property have attached boxes for them to inhabit and propagate within.

In His famed Sermon on the Mount, Jesus admonished us to consider the birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap crops, nor build structures, but are nonetheless taken care of by Him. I guess, in this case, just as He did with Noah and the ark, the Lord is simply using me to care for them. And in turn, He is using them to bless me, just as they did Noah.

In addition to song bird houses, I have also added duck boxes all along the creek that runs adjacent to our yard. Armed with little more than a Google search’s worth of knowledge on the subject, I have now constructed and hung multiple such boxes. Hopefully, as the internet assures me, migrating waterfowl will soon stop off on their journey and recognize and appreciate the nesting location I have provided them. Thereafter, when they return in late January, they may well decide to settle down and raise their brood right here on our property.

If and when they do, I assure you (at least from my perspective), that they will prove a blessing to me, as did the raven and the crow to Noah of old.

For like Noah, I will be reassured in that I will be reminded that the God of history is the God of eternity. Thus, the same God Who judged the world for its sin, and then wiped out the world for its sin, is the same God Who went on to declare that “as long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease”.

For ever since that day, all the world’s fruit trees and grape vines and berry plants combined have continually born their offspring in their respective seasons.

As have the birds of the air. In the process, each successive generation of these, in its respective time and place, has only gone on to enhance and enrich the lives of men and women around them.

Each of my duck houses consists of little more than four or five wood planks, a few metal screws, and a handful of cedar shavings. Yet, combined, these things bespeak the unfolding of untold generations of waterfowl to come. Given this, to say the least, their construction and hanging are visionary beyond measure.

Next February, when the time comes that ducks return to our area in order to mate, I will know whether or not my efforts have all been for naught. I cannot say for certain, but for now, my best guess is that I will be rewarded for my efforts. And like Noah, I will rejoice in the birds God has used to bless me.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/8.htm;
https://www.biblehub.com/matthew/6-26.htm.

SEE ALSO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_(film);

NOTE:

The screenplay was based upon the 1952 collection of short stories of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, itself clearly inspired by hordes of Nazi airplanes cruelly attacking England in World War Two. Cf.: https://www.filmsite.org/bird.html.

THE FRUIT OF ONE’S LABOR

5/14/2022

The Bible tells us that, after having raised his family, built an ark, gathered the world’s animals, and survived the flood, Noah settled down in his old age and planted himself a vineyard. In like fashion, I have now been busy in my semi-retirement doing what I was always too busy, yet always longing, to do: tilling the soil.

Now, to be clear, I have no intentions of either going into the wine-making business or getting plastered with the fruits of my labor, as did Noah. But I have now planted myself some muscadine and scuppernong vines. In my childhood, the former grew wild all along the dirt road on which we lived. And my uncle Roy had a grape arbor absolutely loaded with the latter up at his house. Needless to say, I loved visiting him when they were in season.

I have also now planted an orchard with just about every variety of fruit that will grow in agricultural zone seven, in which my wife and I live. These include several varieties of apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, kiwis, cherries, quinces, crabapples, figs, and pomegranates. When June rolls around, I hope to add some blackberry vines to the lot as well.

Thanks to the efforts of my grandparents (both paternal and maternal), along with those of my various uncles and aunts, at one time or another, I crossed paths with most of these fruit species in my childhood. These days, my theory is that I owe it to my seven grandsons to give them the same memories. After all, eating one’s belly full of apples to the point of nausea as a child is a rite of passage – one I went through and one I intend to see them go through as well!

For this reason, it was a particular joy for me to be assisted by several of my grandsons as I planted the last of these trees this very evening.* Should the Lord tarry His coming, and assuming everything unfolds according to the usual pattern of nature, there will surely come a day when I will be in Heaven and my grandsons will literally be enjoying the fruits of my labor. When it does, the mere knowledge of this fact will very likely only add to my eternal joy!

Besides, when that day comes, I will be consuming fruit of another kind. As the New Testament Book of Revelation tells us (in chapter 22, verses 1-2):

“Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

In short, while my grandsons are enjoying the fruits of my labor here on earth, I plan to be enjoying the fruits of Christ’s labor up in Heaven! In due time, of course, I trust they will join me. And I trust the same for you.

*NOTE: Getting my orchard planted has taken quite some time. But at least I have finally met my goals. See my earlier blog posts titled “ALL IN ONE” dated 10/11/2021 and “BEARING FRUIT” dated 03/03/2022.

SCRIPTURES:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/9.htm;

https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/22.htm.

HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW…

5/10/2022

What do a skunk, an opossum, and a groundhog all have in common? Apparently, none of them can successfully duplicate the feat of the humble chicken by merely crossing the road successfully!

While out walking one morning late last week, I first came upon a flock of buzzards busily consuming the earthly remains of a dead skunk. It was obvious that the hapless creature had met his demise under the wheel of some automobile the night before. By the time I arrived on the scene, little was left of this poor animal; and I mused on his unfortunate fate as I walked along.

Barely a half of a mile later on in my journey, I came upon the remains of an opossum who had clearly suffered a similar fate the previous evening. Its poor carcass had been virtually turned inside out; although I do not know if this had been caused by the force with which it had been hit or by some scavenging animal in the meantime. I puzzled over this too as I kept on walking.

Shortly thereafter, I crested the small ridge where I had repeatedly seen a groundhog as of late. His habit was to occupy the low point in the road, were he easily passed back and forth using a small culvert underneath the road designed for the runoff of rain water into a nearby creek.

As I topped the little hill, I was saddened to see that, for whatever reason, the poor little fellow had apparently chosen to attempt an aboveground crossing of the road just as some other automobile had passed by in the wee hours of the early morning. While he was clearly dead, he had not been that way for long.

Perhaps it was because I had encountered this last animal so often before, and therefore felt as if I had begun to develop some sort of rapport with him, that his death struck me more significantly than had the death of either of the previous two animals. I was truly sad.

I walked on down to the lake before setting out on my return trip home. In the thirty or so minutes of time this took me, the vultures managed to find the downed groundhog. By the time I got back to the spot, they had not only been disemboweled him, but had also literally dismembered him as well. Nor were they happy as they retreated to the trees above, impatiently awaiting my passing before they could resume their repast.

Now, at this point, reading all of this may well have left you disturbed or even disgusted. But I have only related what I encountered that morning, along with the impact it all had on me at the time. Of course, if you have stayed with me this long, then I hope you will read a little further and reflect on what I eventually concluded from the morning’s events.

While I like to hunt and fish, I am no sadist. Animals are sentient creatures that live out their lives, and in so doing, fulfill the purpose for which God created them. It is always somewhat sad, therefore, to see one of them die prematurely in an accidental encounter with an automobile. What is more, this is only magnified when it happens three times in one night, especially when that all happens on the same short stretch of road.

Of course, whether you are troubled by any of this or not, it does, at the very least, speak to how fleeting life is. Twelve hours before my morning walk, three of God’s creatures walked this earth. By twelve hours after my morning walk, each no longer did. If that is not a sobering reminder of the brevity of life, then I do not know what is.

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. For this reason, it behooves each of us to make the utmost of each and every day!

Perhaps this is akin to what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he told the Ephesians (in chapter 5, verses 15- 16 of his New Testament Epistle addressed to them) to… “pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

It bears repeating here how the Amplified Version translates these verses:

“Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.”

How right Paul was! What is more, how right we will each be to follow his admonition! Given that the world is full of evil, and that we do not know what tomorrow holds, it behooves each of us to recognize this and to take advantage of every opportunity, living life to the full as we exult in each single moment of God-given life!

One day, my time on earth will come to an end. Yours will too. Until then, make we each live life to the full!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-16.htm;

https://biblehub.com/amp/ephesians/5.htm.

A REFLECTION OF GOD’S LOVE

5/6/2022

It has been said that there is no greater illustration in this world of the love God has for us than that of the love a mother has for her children. Given that assertion, with which I happen to agree, I thought I would share the following piece for Mother’s Day weekend. It is titled “THE SELF-GIVING MOTHER”, and reads as follows…

About 6:00 A.M. on a Wednesday morning, James Lawson of Running Springs, California (in the San Bernardino Mountains) left home to apply for a job. About an hour later, his thirty-six-year-old wife Patsy left for her fifth grade teaching job down the mountain in Riverside - accompanied by her two children, five-year-old Susan and two-year-old Gerald - to be dropped off at the baby-sitter’s.

Unfortunately, they never got that far. Eight and a half hours later, the man found his wife and daughter dead in their wrecked car, upside down in a cold mountain stream. His two-year-old son was just barely alive in the forty-eight-degree water. But in that death, the character of a mother was revealed in a most dramatic and heart-rending way.

For when the father scrambled down the cliff to what he was sure were the cries of his dying wife, he found her locked in death, holding her little boy’s head just above water in the submerged car.

For eight and a half hours, Patsy Lawson had held her beloved toddler afloat, and had finally died, her body almost frozen in death in that position of self-giving love, holding her baby up to breathe. She died that another might live. That’s the essence of a mother’s love.

Indeed it is! And as such, it is a reflection of the self-giving and sacrificial love that our God has for us! For He, too, gave His life in order that we might live!

This mother’s Day, I am thankful for a mother who loved me enough to sacrifice on my behalf. While she was never actually called upon to lay down her life for me, she did sacrifice in so many ways that I might be the better for it.

As I write this, she is now in Heaven. I know she is there because trust she placed her trust in Jesus Christ, Who did lay down His life, for her, and for me, and for all people in all times and all places. And like her, all who will receive Him as personal Lord and Savior will enjoy their eternal reward in that wonderful place as well.

STORY SOURCE: James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, 1988, p. 375.

A HAIR-ROWING EXPERIENCE!

5/2/2022

The peace was shattered at approximately 5:17 pm this afternoon. I had just returned from having gone out walking; and discovered that my daughter had come over with her three small sons. These three were then joined by a fourth grandson who had come over from my son’s house next door.

I had just set about hurriedly completing a project or two in order that I could go spend time with them when I heard one of them begin to sound off. Soon enough, he was crying to beat the band!

I did not know which one it was, as he was somewhere on the other side of the house; but with each passing moment, the fit he was pitching grew louder and louder. I sensed something must be wrong. However, from the sound of things, the cries he was emitting were more akin to anger than to either pain or fear.

I also knew that our daughter was with them; and thus, if something was seriously wrong, we would know it soon enough. Nevertheless, as the noise was not abating, my wife, who was with me at the time, decided that she needed to go investigate.

After another few minutes, just as I was finishing up my projects, the crying finally ceased. It was then that I met my wife making her way back around the house and grinning from ear to ear.

“Is everything okay?” I asked. “It is now!” she replied, laughing out loud. “What was wrong?” I inquired. “It wasn’t any of the four grandsons in our yard. It was the smallest one next door. You’ll be happy to know that your youngest grandson just got his first ever haircut!”

I have to confess that I got tickled! I thought about all those times as a small lad when my dad took me to Ol’ Man Charlie Boyd for a haircut. I remembered how the latter would put me up in the barber chair and place a cloak over me before he turned on those horrendous clippers. To this day, I can recall how he would grab my chin and hold it in a vice-like grip in order to keep my little head still as he sheared off my curly locks.

I also remember the hum of those dreaded clippers and the cold feeling they had as he ran them back and forth over my head. I’m sure the whole process only took a few minutes; but to me at the time, it seemed like an eternity. I do not recall if I protested or not. But I do know that it was never an enjoyable experience; and I dreaded it as I did few other recurring rituals in life.

After I discovered what my youngest grandson had gone through, I went to check on him. I found him sitting at the supper table happily engaged in the consumption of an assortment of baby foods. By that time, the earlier ordeal, as terrible as it had been, had clearly passed; and he had moved on to more familiar and enjoyable activities.

At just one year of age, I do not know if he was fully aware of what all he had just endured or not. But for all his trouble, he was none the worse for the wear! As it was, I spent a few moments interacting with him, watching his newly shorn head continuously bob about as he grinned and even chuckled while I picked at him. When I left, he was all smiles as he headed off in the arms of his mother for the familiar confines of the bathtub and an enjoyable nightly ritual.

As I made my way back home, I could not help but think of what the writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews (in chapter 12, verses 10-11) was moved to pen so long ago…

“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.”

It was my grown son who, along with his wife, gave their son (and my grandson) his first ever haircut this afternoon. Needless to say, the whole process was more than a tad painful for the little tyke. But it was ultimately beneficial for him as well! His father had only put him through the whole ordeal for his own good.

Indeed, decades before, I had done the very same thing for his father (and my son), when he was that age, just as my own father had done for me even earlier.

In each case, the truth of Scripture was born out as an earthly father disciplined his son for a short period of time in order to produce something good and positive in his life. What is more, in each case, one can see a reflection of how our Heavenly Father deals with us.

You see, in His divine love for us, our God wants what is best for us. For this reason, from time to time, He disciplines us by putting us through some unpleasant experience. But in the end, it invariably works out for our good. We come away from the experience none the worse for wear. Better yet, we come away improved in some fashion. We then experience some harvest of either righteousness and/or peace as a result!

What about you? Are you currently going through some trial that seems difficult at best or terrible at worst? Then remember the words of the Apostle James, who was moved by the Holy Spirit (in chapter 1, verses 2-4 of his eponymous New Testament Letter) to write:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

In my esteemed opinion, my little grandson is even more handsome now than he was at about 5:16 pm this afternoon! This is all because he underwent a somewhat unpleasant ordeal in the meantime.

In a similar fashion, no matter what sort of harrowing experience I may personally wind up having to face tomorrow, I pray that, at the end of the day, I will merely wind up looking a little more pleasing in the eyes of my Heavenly Father as a result!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://www.biblehub.com/hebrews/12-11.htm;

https://biblehub.com/niv/james/1.htm.