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"Helping Others Communicate"

CLEANING UP

11/29/2018

 
Those who are acquainted with me will agree that I am known as somewhat of a germaphobe. For those not familiar with this term, it is defined as any person who is obsessed with cleanliness and defeating bacteria.  As such a person, I long ago learned the art of turning off the faucets and opening the doors of public restrooms with paper towels, etc...

I suppose what made me this way was being a young pastor years ago who was constantly in and out of hospitals every day before coming home to a wife and three small children.  I decided early on to do my best not to bring home any more germs than was absolutely necessary, so as not to unduly expose them to sickness.

Thus, thorough handwashing and other such habits were instilled within me early on in my ministry; and I have kept them up ever since.

It was only natural, therefore, that I  would be intrigued when I saw that Foxnews.com carried an article this morning by Lauren Sieben of Realtor.com, titled “7 Cleaning Tips That Every Germaphobe Needs To Know”.

I perused the article, which led me to the original source at Realtor.com titled “Our (Easy!) 7-Step House Cleaning Plan for the Germaphobe Inside Us All” by Lauren Sieben dated Nov 27, 2018.

Reading that article led me to another one by Stephanie Booth from Feb 12, 2018 titled “7 Things in Your House That Are Dirtier Than Your Toilet”.  This one really got my attention!

Ms. Booth begins the article with these attention getting words:

“You wouldn't dare drink out of your toilet, but surprisingly, it's not the grossest spot in your house. After all, it gets regularly disinfected (we certainly hope). Yep, that's right - there are potentially bigger, more disgusting threats to your health scattered throughout your home. And we've got more bad news for you: You've probably already touched a few today. So grab a Costco-sized bottle of hand sanitizer before you read on - and clear your schedule. You've got some new cleaning chores coming up.”

She then dutifully lists the seven items in our own homes that qualify:

1. Our carpets. (We learn that these hold approximately 200,000 bacteria per square inch, including the infamous E. coli bacteria tracked in on the bottom of our shoes form public restrooms.)

2. Our kitchen sinks. (This is what she calls the "Grand Central Station" of germs, due largely to our kitchen sponges, a single cubic centimeter of which may be packed with as much bacteria as there are people on Earth - multiplied seven times!)

3. Our doorknobs. (Citing research from two prominent state universities, she asserts first, that only 5% of people who use the bathroom wash their hands thoroughly and long enough to kill germs that can cause illness, and second, that the bacteria from just one infected doorknob could travel to as many as 60% of the people in an average office in under four hours.)

4. Our coffee makers. (We discover that irrespective of coffee’s purported antibacterial properties, the water reservoir and piping system are prime spots for bacteria to grow in since they are so often damp and dark.)

5. Our bath towels. (This one takes the cake.  Citing further university research, we are told that nearly 90% of the towels that we use to dry our hands or body after a shower could be contaminated with coliform bacteria, which is found in, yes, fecal matter!)

6. Our shower curtains. (Not only is the “soap scum” that we see really a booming community of microorganisms, each time we flush, a plume of bacteria is released, and "it’s gotta go somewhere".  Not to mention that black lining along the curtain… We likely have millions of mold spores near us every time we bathe!)

And the straw that breaks the camel’s back…

7. Our remote control(s). (Just like in a hospital or hotel room, our remote controls are “all kinds of nasty”, including such things as grimy hands, Cheetos dust, baby drool, etc…)

Had enough?  So had I!  Thankfully, therefore, Ms. Booth does not leave us destitute and hopeless.  In each instance, she provides an appropriate way to clean the item or items in question.  And in the end, this really is the purpose of the article – not just to convince us that we are filthy and in danger within our own homes, but to show us that we can be clean and healthy and happy therein!

As I read these articles – especially the last one, I could not help but be reminded of our predicament as human beings.  Think about it. We might like to think that we are clean; but we really are not.  For years, I prided myself on not bringing germs into my home by my own personal attempts at cleanliness.  And yet, as these article make plain, all my efforts were for naught.  My home has been fraught with germs all along!

The same thing applies to my spiritual life.  Try as I might, my own endeavors to justify myself, my own personal attempts to make myself clean and righteous, no matter how sincere and intentional they might be, can never make me truly so in God’s eyes. 

What I needed was for someone to point that truth out to me - to show me that, under the all-penetrating and all-exposing light of God’s truth, my own righteousness is shown for what it is.  As the Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah, tells us (chapter 64, verse 6): “all our righteousness is as filthy rags” before God!

But the wonderful thing about God is that He does not leave us destitute and hopeless!  Yes, he points out our problem. But He goes far beyond this, and shows us how we can indeed be made clean!  The Apostle John puts it this way in his First New Testament Epistle (chapter 1, verse 9):  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And there you have it!  While it may be disconcerting to realize just how filthy our homes are, it is wonderful to have an expert tell us how our homes can receive a legitimate and thorough cleansing.  Far more significantly, to be told that our own righteousness is as filthy rage before a truly righteous and holy God may be distressing.  But to then be told by that same God that He has provided a way for us to be thoroughly cleansed and gloriously restored to Him is comforting beyond words!

For my part, I’m thrilled to know that in spite of the newly exposed filthiness within my own dwelling, I now have hope for a detailed and thorough cleansing.  Maybe you share that feeling in light of the above referenced articles.  More to the point, if you have come to see your own righteousness for what it is, as filthy rags before a blameless, holy, and righteous God, then I hope you are relieved to know that this God loves you and has made provision for your cleansing and restoration through His one and only son, Jesus Christ.

If so, then I urge you to join with the Psalmist (Psalm 51, verses 1-8) who once prayed:


1Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.

5Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness...


Take it from a germaphobe, there is nothing like a thorough house cleaning!  Except of course, a thorough heart cleansing!

PRIMARY ARTICLE SOURCE:

https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/things-in-house-dirtier-than-your-toilet/

SECONDARY ARTICLE SOURCES: 
https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/the-germaphobes-guide-to-cleaning-your-house
https://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/our-easy-7-step-house-cleaning-plan-for-the-germaphobe-inside-us-all

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://www.biblehub.com/isaiah/64-6.htm
https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/51.htm

THE JOY OF GIVING!

11/26/2018

 
Some time back, Sheryl Crow had a hit song proclaiming that every day is a winding road.  These days, it seems, every day is a special day!
 
Unlike things were "back in the day", when the extent of the fall calendar fall included Halloween and Thanksgiving, with nothing more until Christmas, our modern calendars are now chock full of all sorts of days devoted to first one purpose and then another.

For instance, Thanksgiving, occurring as it does on Thursday, is hardly over before "Black Friday" unfolds.  Stores quite literally open at midnight.  Indeed some even open at 6pm on Thursday itself! Either way, the frenzy is on!  Not to be outdone, "Black Friday" sales then give way to "Small Business Saturday" and "Cyber Monday" and yet another plethora of discounts and deals.  In the process, you and I are bidden to spend, spend, and then spend some more.  

One wonders how many more such special days will appear in the next decade or two. "Obtain-It-All Tuesday"? "Rake-It-All-In Wednesday"? "Take-It-All-Home Thursday"? "Score-It-All Sunday"?  Such is life!

At this point, of course, I realize that that any retailers who happen to be reading this may well take umbrage with me.  Many venders actually do depend upon these heavy shopping days to turn a profit for the year.  Hence, the very name "Black Friday". (Wikipedia has an excellent article on the origin of this day.)

But, if it sounds like I am being a little disparaging here, then let me remind you how ironic it is that we are so quickly encouraged to set aside the one single day we manage to devote to appreciation and jump right back into day after day of consumption! 

All this being said, I do want to affirm one particular new "special" day that has cropped up on the calendar.  The day after "Cyber Monday" has now come to be designated as "Giving Tuesday". Begun in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City as a response to the very commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season decried above, this is a relatively new special day on our calendar whose purpose is to encourage charitable giving in a season of conspicuous consumption.

If you are as yet unfamiliar with "Giving Tuesday", don't feel too bad.  You are likely not alone.  A couple of years ago, the John Templeton Foundation released a study based on a survey of Americans showing that 93% of respondents were familiar with "Black Friday", whereas only 18% were familiar with "Giving Tuesday".

Nonetheless, while this special day still has a long way to go in terms of achieving name recognition, it is fast gaining traction. For instance, records indicate that in the first year it was begun (2012), Americans donated just over $10 million to various charities on this special day.  The following year, 2013 saw that amount rise to over $28.  2014 was over $45 million; 2015 topped $116 million; and 2016 exceeded $168 million.  The latest figures show that 2017 scored over $274 in charitable contributions! Praise the Lord!

And yet, these figures should not really surprise us.  There is little doubt that they are due to the purpose behind this special day. After all, it was Jesus Christ Himself Who reminded us that there is a far bigger blessing in giving than in receiving!  And once people come to realize this, it makes a significant impact on their approach to charity.

As I write this, it is right at 9pm on Cyber Monday.  A Fox Business News web site article currently contains the following headline:  "Cyber Monday Tracking For Biggest Online Shopping Day In US History!"  And this comes on the heels of this past Friday, which itself set a record as the single busiest shopping day ever in U.S. history!

All of this is, of course, very good news - for retailers, to be sure - but also for our economy in general.  And my previous rant notwithstanding, if this was due in part to you, then you are to be congratulated - both for getting a good deal and for helping to spur our economy in the process.

But do not forget about tomorrow.  Let’s make "Giving Tuesday" every bit as successful as "Cyber Monday" and "Black Friday" ever were!  For the twin satisfactions of getting a good deal and spurring the economy really do pale in comparison to the blessing we get when we give as much or more than we receive!

INFO SOURCE:  You can read more about "Giving Tuesday" here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giving_Tuesday.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: 
https://biblehub.com/acts/20-35.htm.

NEWS SOURCE:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/cyber-monday-tracking-for-biggest-online-shopping-day-in-us-history.

TO ALL YE PILGRIMS...

11/22/2018

 
Thanksgiving Proclamation
November 29, 1623
TO ALL YE PILGRIMS

"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings."

William Bradford
Ye Governor of Ye Colony


SOURCE:  http://www.knowledgehouse.info/Thanksgiving%20Proclamation.pdf
and http://www.appleseeds.org/thankgv6.htm.
SEE ALSO: 
http://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp.

ON WINGS AND PRAYERS

11/19/2018

 
There is an old parable about how the Lord once sent two angels down to earth to gather up the prayers of men and women. The first angel was tasked with collecting up all the prayers that might be classified as requests, wherein people were shown to be asking God for something.

The second angel was tasked with collecting up all the prayers of thanksgiving, wherein people were shown to be expressing gratitude to God for some thing or things He had already done for them.

Before departing, the two angels agreed to meet back in one month with their respective collections of prayers. They then mounted up on their angel’s wings and flew off in search of all the prayers of men and women.

The first angel, the one collecting prayers that appealed to God for something, quickly became busy.  In fact, he was soon overwhelmed.  It took an ever-increasing number of baskets to hold all the prayers; and in short order, basket after basket overflowed with prayers asking God for money, health, cars, jewelry, clothing, success, and the like.

At length, there were so many prayers that the angel had to enlist numerous other angels just to help transport all the baskets back to Heaven.

Meanwhile, the second angel, the one looking for prayers of thanksgiving, travelled far and wide across the world looking for even the smallest utterances of appreciation.  Sadly, several days and even weeks went by with hardly a prayer of gratitude ever being found.

At the end of a month, as planned, the two angels returned to Heaven with their respective tasks completed.  The first angel, the one charged with collecting prayers for requests, presented baskets as far as the eye could see.

By comparison, the second angel, the one charged with collecting prayers of thankfulness, had only a pitifully small amount of prayers - barely enough to cover the bottom of one single basket.  Heaven was silent as the awkward truth quickly set in!

Of course, this story is fictitious.  Nevertheless, it well illustrates the condition of the human heart!  How many of us excel at making requests, both of God and of others, yet fail miserably at expressing gratitude to these same entities?

If this applies to you, then why not take a little time this Thanksgiving week to talk to God and let Him know how much you appreciate what all He has already done for you?  Any such prayer will surely be well received up in Heaven!  And I assure you that there will be time enough to ask for more things later on! 

While you are at it, remember that one of the ways God so often chooses to bless us is through the intervention and provision of others in our lives.  For this reason, why not take a little time to offer any overdue appreciation to others as well?  Both you and they will be glad you did.

PARABLE SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in differing versions.  See, for instance:


https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-speaking-tree/try-saying-thank-you/;

as well as:


https://media.mywonderstudio.com/files/en/0-5/001-100/pdf/239_TwoBaskets_en.pdf.

SORRY ABOUT THAT!

11/15/2018

 
A recent news article by Jennifer Earl was titled “Texas Man Sends Utah City $50, Apology Note 75 Years After Crime: I Was A 'Stupid' Teen”.  The story she goes on to relate is one that will surely resonate with all who read it.

It seems that a 90-year-old Texas man decided to prove the old adage that it's never too late to say one is sorry.  He did so by mailing a handwritten note of apology along with a $50 bill to the Midvale, Utah public works department.

Identifying himself only as a "sorrowful citizen," he confessed to having stolen a stop sign several decades before; and now enclosed the cash to pay for it.

"I am enclosing $50 to pay for this stop sign I stole when I was a thoughtless teenager," the man wrote. "Stupid might be a better word for it.  All of these things have made me sorrow over the few things I did when I was young." 

It seems that the elderly man, from somewhere in North Houston, has been "trying to do restitution" for all the many mistakes he has made over the years. His next sentence is revealing.  "I wish to be forgiven by the Lord, so I am sorry and truly repentant." It was signed “Anonymous”.

City officials admit that they were somewhat taken back by the letter.  They also noted that they wished they could thank the man in person, but could not as the letter did not include a name or return address.

Robert Hale, the Mayor of Midvale, estimates the crime took place approximately 75 years ago.  “He paid more than $50 in the 75 years he’s been carrying that burden on his shoulder,” the mayor said.  He then added that, while he doesn't know the man's name, he still hopes the 90-year-old knows he's forgiven and can now live peacefully.

“He’s cleared it up a far as we’re concerned," Mayor Hale said. He added that the city plans to use the man's donation to replace another stop sign in the city. "We can scratch out that line on the account receivable now."

I find this a powerful story for several reasons.  The mayor is right in his assessment of the guilt this man has surely born all these years.  The poor, unidentified man did wrong, and then suffered under a guilty conscience until he could simply stand it no more; whereupon, he finally took steps to repent and make amends. 

And the best part of the story is that he has now found the forgiveness he both so long desired and so long needed, along with the peace that comes with a clean conscience.

Herein resides the relevance of this little story for each of us. You see, this man’s story is my story. And it is also your story. Indeed, it is everyone’s story. For it reminds us that we have all done wrong.  We have all violated some law of conscience.  We have all violated the moral law of God. And we have all had to live with the terrible consequences as a result!

But the best part of the story is that we can all still turn to God and confess our wrongdoing. When we do, we soon discover that God, the ultimate authority against whom we have all sinned, is both gracious and merciful!  As such, He freely offers forgiveness to all who turn to Him in repentance and seek reconciliation through His Son Jesus Christ. 

Once we do, we discover what the Bible affirms (in the First New Testament Letter of John, chapter 1, verse 9):  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

And that is precisely why the story of Jesus Christ is called the “Gospel”.  For “Gospel” simply means “Good News”.  What greater news can we receive than this?  To be forgiven by God for our past transgressions and to live hereafter in perfect peace! 

STORY SOURCE: 
https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-man-sends-utah-city-50-apology-note-75-years-after-crime-i-was-a-stupid-teen. Published June 22, 2018.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:  
https://biblehub.com/1_john/1-9.htm.

UPENDED

11/12/2018

 
Jerry Watts is an Associational Missions Director serving in Mississippi. He is a gifted communicator who has spent over forty years as a Minister of the Gospel. In a message he once preached based on Proverbs 14:34 and Isaiah 5:20-23 and titled "America:  An Upside-Down Nation", he tells the following story…

"As a kid, I used to love the 'jungle gym' - you remember that? We, as the less sophisticated people, called them the monkey bars. And they were rightly named so because we would hang upside down for extended periods of time. Have you ever hung upside down? The world looks different. If you stay in that position for an extended period of time, you'll discover some unusual things happening.

Instead of citing all the physiological problems which could occur, just make a note that the big problem is our circulatory system. The way the body is made up with its veins, arteries and heart, it uses gravity to get the blood to your feet and pump the blood to your head. Reverse your body and some damaging things can happen.

According to Professor Ashley Grossman of the Barts Medical School (Queen Mary, University of London) this may happen, 'Fluid will start to ease out of your blood vessels, you can't get oxygen, and the lungs will become rather still so you will get breathless.' By the way, to remain in that position can lead to a stroke or death."

Dr. Watts then goes on to make this observation:

"To take an honest look at this great country is to see that things are 'out-of-whack', 'unusual', 'out of sync', and 'upside down'. We have become like the Apostle Paul and seem to do what we shouldn't while not doing what we should. We seem to declare right wrong and wrong right. (Like Isaiah 5:20: 'Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!')

Why is this? The writer of Proverbs explains it in simple terms 'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.' It has been said that America will only be great as long as she is good, and when she ceases to be good she will no longer be great. Righteousness is up and sin is supposed to be down - in a normal world."

I share this on Veteran’s Day weekend because I am greatly concerned about the moral and theological state of our country. Our nation has changed so much in the last few decades that I sometimes wonder if the country in which we now live would be even be recognized by those brave men and women who served and, in so many cases, sacrificed their lives in order that America might be a great nation.

If they somehow came back and walked among us, would the world seem as if it had somehow turned completely upside down?  Would they ask themselves whether who we now are and what we have now allowed ourselves to become was worth their sacrifice?  Would they say, “Do you mean to tell me that I died for this?!”

I may not can control what others value or how they behave; but for my part, on this Veteran’s Day weekend, 2018, I want to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifice that was laid down for me!  I want all those brave men and women who came before me, especially those who served so faithfully and who sacrificed so willingly, to know that I am appreciate of what they valued and how they proved it.

And I want to prove this by the choices I make and by the way I conduct myself in my own time, even as they did in their day and age! 

They say the best way to change the world for the better is to draw a circle, get inside of it, and change everything inside that circle for the better!  Want you join me in upending your own little portion of this great big world? 

If so, perhaps it can be said of us what was said of those first followers of Jesus Christ (in Acts 17:6):  "These are the ones who have turned the world upside down!"

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: 

https://biblehub.com/proverbs/14-34.htm; https://biblehub.com/context/isaiah/5-20.htm; https://www.biblehub.com/acts/17-6.htm.

AUTHOR SOURCE:  

http://jerrywatts.net/about.html.

STORY SOURCE: 

https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-outlines/77603/america-an-upside-down-nation/.

A SHOW OF HANDS

11/9/2018

 
In a quirky, somewhat offbeat movie from the 1980s titled "My Stepmother Is an Alien", Dan Akroyd and Kim Bassinger once sang a song together, giving their impression of the famous comedian, Jimmy Durante, as they did.

The song was titled "Did You Ever Have the Feeling That You Wanted to Stay?"  The lyrics include the line: "Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go, and then you had the feeling that you wanted to stay?"

These words come from a song made famous by Durante in a 1944 film titled "Two Girls and a Sailor."  It had earlier been sung by Durante in another movie, 1942’s "The Man Who Came to Dinner", with Monty Woolley, Ann Sheridan, and Bette Davis.

I share all of this because it sets up a wonderful story that demonstrates how life can sometimes imitate art.

It seems that, at the close of World War II, famed performer Jimmy Durante was invited to entertain wounded soldiers at a certain veteran's hospital. He said he would be able to do only one very short routine as he had two radio shows to do that day.

For this reason, the man who invited him was amazed when Durante didn't rush off but rather gave three complete routines.  

"Why did you stay so long," the man asked, "you've probably missed your radio shows?" Durante answered, "Look at the men and you will see for yourself."

There on the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm, who were applauding by clapping their two remaining hands together."

This Sunday is Veteran’s Day – the day we rightfully set aside to honor those who have served in the various branches of the Armed Forces in order that we may have the freedoms that we do. 

As this appropriate day of recognition unfolds, make certain that you take the time to slow down and stay awhile, and spend a few moments with someone who deserves to be honored for their service and sacrifice on our behalf!

And, in yet another case of life imitating art, use your own hands to applaud them for what they have done when they themselves stayed put, sacrificed their own agenda, and served you and me!

SOURCES: 


https://cdmalele.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/did-you-ever-have-the-feeling-that-you-wanted-to-stay/.

https://aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com/search?q=veteran.

APPROPRIATE DAILY ACTIVITY

11/5/2018

 
Now that my daughter and her family have moved back to east Tennessee, I am in big time trouble.  She, my wife, and my mother-in-law all simply love to cook.  Between the three of them, they have researched every recipe Julia Childs, Joanna Gaines, and the Pioneer Woman combined have ever concocted.

Throw my two precious daughters-in-law into the mix, and one can quickly see that Thanksgiving amounts to a full scale cook-off!  Let’s just say that their daily activities between now and the big day will involve lots of “KP”!  And the big loser in all of this will likely be my waistline!  Let’s face it… the battle of the bulge is an ongoing and difficult struggle!  And I have come up on the losing end far too many times.

But this year, I am fighting back!  I have been trying to cut back a little on my eating and do a little more exercise in advance of the impending assault.  More times than I care to recall over the past few weeks, I have sacrificed my taste buds on the altar of discretion.  Even worse, I have gone home, put on my walking shoes, and plodded up and down the road.

I am doing all of this precisely because I know the big day is looming.  I know even now that the moment will come when the table will be arrayed against me with all manner of delectable weapons.  And I know full well that I will likely succumb on that day. 

But I do not intend to go down without a fight.  At least I will have a little room to absorb the shock and let out my belt a loop or two.  And so, for this reason, as the Apostle Paul once said, “I beat my body into submission!”  

All jokes aside, Thanksgiving is only 17 days away.  That’s a mere two and a half weeks!  It is fitting that we should set aside a day to give God thanks for all He has done for us.  But we do not need to wait until then to ponder how blessed we are!  For my part, I am reminded each and every day just how blessed that I am.

To begin with, I live in the greatest country on earth.  Sure, we have our problems.  But in spite of these, we still live in a land of plenty as compared to so many others in this world.  As I have testified, I do not go hungry.  I also have clothes and shoes on my body, a roof over my head, and a warm bed in which to sleep.

In addition to such abundance, I enjoy reasonably good health.  I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, children, and extended family.  And above all, I was blessed to have been created in the image of Almighty God.  And even though my life was marred by sin, I was still loved enough by that God that He chose to redeem me through the sacrifice of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

If all this is not enough to be thankful for, then I do not know what is!  And for this reason, I will follow the Psalmist (107:1) and say: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”  Dieting and exercise are good activities to undertake on a daily basis.  But an even better daily activity is thanking God for how good He is to us!

Given that the following verse (107:2) admonishes all the redeemed to do the same (“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so…”), I encourage you to join me on this day, and on all days to come, and offer a simple prayer of thanksgiving to God for all of His blessings.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: 
https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/107.htm.

KEEPING ONE’S NOSE CLEAN!

11/1/2018

 
Nicole Darrah recently reported the story of a Saint Bernard dog up in New York state which quite literally stuck his nose in where it did not belong!  “Ruckus”, as he has affectionately been dubbed, had clearly found his way on to a porcupine's bad side. The encounter apparently unfolded sometime back in September.

Picture

Fortunately, this bit of bad luck was counteracted by a stroke of good luck a few days later, when the folks at the Humane Society of Greater Rochester took him in so he could receive the necessary treatment.  They also found him a new home!

This may not have been Ruckus' first run-in with a porcupine. Not only did he have quills covering his face, jowls, and nose; he even had them deep down inside his mouth.

The article goes on to cite National Geographic, telling us that porcupines are the "prickliest of rodents".  In fact, a single animal can have more than 30,000 quills!  And every single one of them can be used quite effectively for personal defense.  And while it is not true that they can be shot from a porcupine’s body like arrows, quills nonetheless detach quite easily when touched.

Alas, however, all’s well that ends well!  The folks who helped Ruckus out were quoted at the end of the article as saying, "We are so happy for Ruckus, and hope that he never crosses the path of a porcupine again." I'll just say "Amen" to that!

Of course, dogs are not the only ones to stick their noses in where they probably shouldn’t!  We humans are pretty good at it as well!  In fact, we have multiple idioms for the matter – from “being nosey” to “nosing around” to “nosing in”!

When a person is said to be nosey, it simply asserts that he or she is being unduly inquisitive. In plain English, a nosey person is someone who all too frequently interferes in other people’s business, especially when this business does not concern them in the first place. 

Of course, individuals who pry into another’s business customarily do so by just plain asking far too many personal questions. And usually, after all the questions, comes the unwanted person opinions to boot!  All of this tends to happen just before they pass along whatever tidbit of information they have gleaned to some equally nosey counterpart.

Sadly, we all know this sort of person. Even worse, if we would be honest, sometimes we all even act like this sort of person! 

Given that this matter of nosiness is such a pervasive issue in our midst, we should rightfully ask whether the Bible has anything to say about it or not?  And the answer is…  “Yes, it does!”  For while so many of our colloquial phrases about being nosey may not be found in the Bible, the subject at hand certainly is.

In his First New Testament Letter to the young pastor Timothy (chapter 5, verse 13), the Apostle Paul touches on this subject. He addresses those who “get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.”  

Paul’s immediate context is certain idle widows where young Timothy ministers.  But clearly, he had us all in mind.  It is God's way of reminding everyone who is a believer that none of us are to behave in such a manner. For in truth, any of us can fall prey to idleness and lapse into behavior that is harmful and destructive. Instead, Paul implies in verse 14 that we should find something worthwhile to do instead of nosing around and thereby giving the Devil opportunity.

Elsewhere, Paul even equates gossip (defined as repetitious idle talk and rumormongering) with all sorts of sinful endeavors that lead to spiritual death among unrepentant people! In his New Testament Letter to the Romans (chapter 1, verses 28-32), he states:


28Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Wow!  It seems that God is just as concerned over nosiness and gossip as He is over those things so many of us consider far worse.  If this be the case, then, let us be careful about being too nosey! It may seem harmless enough, but the Bible associates it with evil and spiritual death.

I’m glad Ruckus was rescued.  I’m glad the quills in his muzzle all got removed.  Otherwise, he might literally have starved to death.  Perhaps we all should learn a lesson here.  Sticking our nose in where it doesn’t belong can be painful.  Even worse, it can even be deadly!

STORY SOURCE:  
https://www.foxnews.com/us/saint-bernard-gets-on-porcupines-bad-side. Nicole Darrah, the author, covers breaking and trending news for FoxNews.com.  She can be followed on Twitter @nicoledarrah.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/1_timothy/5.htm and
https://biblehub.com/niv/romans/1.htm.

SEE ALSO:  https://www.gotquestions.org/being-nosey.html.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

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