Hit The Brakes!
“The car is in the house – the car is in the house!”
The message from my Mom set off alarm bells. What could she possibly mean? Her advancing Parkinson’s Disease caused minor confusion, but nothing like this.
I talked with my Dad and agreed to meet him at home. Arriving before him I walked in to see my sweet Mom sitting in a chair slightly dazed and crying. And much to my surprise her car was sitting squarely in the breakfast room nestled up against the kitchen counter. The car was indeed in the house!
To her dying day she insisted the car malfunctioned, sending her through the garage wall, through the very sizeable built in cabinet holding favorite crystal pieces and other sentimental breakables. The car was stopped by the heavy breakfast room table – thankfully. At nearly 75 she climbed out through the window, onto the table, and then down to the floor to reach the telephone.
The tow truck removed her very injured car and the process of piecing the story together began. There were no pointed fingers, just grateful hugs and prayers of thankfulness. Rather than replace the vehicle Dad acceded to Mom’s wishes and had it fully repaired and restored to health. But even though Mom never drove it again, it stayed with them until her death 14 years later.
What really happened? The insurance adjuster’s decision was simple: as she pulled into the garage she hit the accelerator instead of the brake. She picked up speed and drove headlong into the house… the car was in the house!
You may certainly have not experienced a shock like my Mom did, but can you think about a time when you hit the accelerator rather than the brake? How about decisions made in haste? What about purchases made under pressure? Or, words spoken in anger when a quiet, braking pause would have better served?
We can learn from Mary Alice Smith before our relational, emotional, and spiritual cars come crashing through a wall never intended for breaching.
Prayer Network
by Brenda A. Smith, BWFLI.com, BreakfastWithFred.com
“Our work is to equip men and women for their work in the world.”
Graduates will receive diplomas, acknowledgements as men and women of strong academic preparation and Christian character, and challenging words about their next steps. From campus to campus commencement will be the culmination of commitment and service. The doors will open and out they will go.
Prayer this month is for each student who is now declared qualified to bear the institution’s seal of approval, having completed the requisite courses and activities. Pray for their spiritual maturity, growth, and perseverance as they test their Christian faith.
Give thanks, as well, for administrations, faculty members, and staff who have nurtured throughout the college career. And please pray for parents who most often sacrificed a great deal to provide Christian higher education for their students.
We lift up our Christian higher education friends who dedicate their personal and professional lives to the full development of each generation, implanting seeds and watering with trust and the love of Jesus.
Spiritual Gifts and the Will of God
by Bob Deffinbaugh, Bible.org, BWFLI.com
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:1-8, NAU).
It is important to note how closely Paul links knowing the will of God (verse 2) with spiritual gifts (verses 3-8). We should also take note of Paul’s counsel to Timothy not to neglect his spiritual gift (1 Timothy 4:14), and later to “stir up” or “rekindle” his spiritual gift (2 Timothy 1:6). I believe that the knowledge of one’s spiritual gift(s) plays a crucial role in discerning one’s career path, and in training for it.
Let us pray that our young men and women attending our colleges and universities give attention to the spiritual gifts God gives each one of them, and that their education serves to prepare them for a life of service, utilizing their gifts.
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Relationships
Weekly Thought – May 17, 2022
Fred cultivated and nurtured relationships. Networking for him wasn’t a business strategy – it was an effective means of living out his goal of stretching others. He was an excellent friend. He held confidences; he prayed for them; he connected them with others; and he believed in them.
Relationships
Relationships are not homogeneous. The variety resembles the diversity of garden flowers. Some bring color while others are known for their aromas. Some are like cacti because they can survive contrary conditions. Some take a long time to develop and bloom but are long lasting.
A few friends are for all seasons but most are for a particular season. It is important to know the seasons of our relationships. And just as important is the ability to understand every friendship doesn’t endure forever. This doesn’t diminish the effectiveness, the contribution, or the value. I hear people say, “I used to be friends with him.” I refuse to think like that. Friendships are always alive, even if only in a certain timeframe, situation, or environment. We do not bury a relationship just because the season has changed. We appreciate and remember their blooms.
I am convinced friendships must have mutual benefit as the foundational element. Of course in every mutual relationship there are pluses and minuses, contributions and embarrassments, agreements and conflicts… but in the end the mutuality must be solidly built on the net good to all.
God created man for relationship with Himself. We see the mutuality in that God gives us His best, and in perfect communion, man returns his best to God. It is important to understand we don’t offer our best in order to gain favor, salvation, or ongoing fellowship. God so loved that He gave… His best is exactly that – His best. But we can respond in gratitude by offering everything that we can as a gift back to Him.
God wanted that communion so much that when it was broken, Christ came to restore it for man is precious to the Father.
It is important to understand that mutuality does not demand equality of contribution but the commitment in which each does his best for the other. We see this in friendships, in family, in business associations – and in the love of God in Christ.
This week carefully think about: 1) How do I chronicle my history of friendships? 2) What makes me a good friend? 3) Where do I need to improve my intentional development of mutual benefit?
Words of Wisdom: “I am convinced friendships must have mutual benefit as the foundational element.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,” says the LORD, the one who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10 NET Bible)