Pondering on how the world has changed

When you get to be an old codger, you spend a lot of time pondering on how the world has changed. 

Now, for you young whippersnappers that need to know, a codger is defined as one who is old. So, I guess an old codger is old enough to have lived a life following the ways of the day and be able to realize how those ways change. Sometimes for the better, but not always. 

Years ago, I heard John Michalak use a story in a children’s sermon at Lott Baptist Church that seems to fit this situation. The story relates how as a young boy, Benjamin Franklin had the opportunity to buy a whistle that he wanted very much. He had recently received pay for a job and he spent all of his money for that whistle. His older and wiser brothers and friends ridiculed him and assured him that he had paid ten times too much for that whistle. And it’s claimed that young Ben learned a valuable lesson that day…Don’t ever pay too much for your whistle! 

I am afraid we have been paying too much for our whistles. There is no time like the present to make a change, and though we may think we have let our present situation grow to such proportions that they have become like a snowball rolling down hill and growing ever larger to the point that it can’t be stopped, God gives us an out. 

You have probably heard the quote, “God will never give you more than you can handle,” or as I have been known to say, “God will never load your wagon with more than you can tote.”  This quote more than likely derives from a New Testament scripture found in I Corinthians 10:13, where Paul is letting us know that, “Our God is a Faithful God and He will not allow you to be tested by anything uncommon or something beyond your ability to endure and He will always provide a way out or give you the strength to go on.” 

We can derive strength from those words if we keep in mind that what might seem impossible for us to do is always possible through God.  Luke 1:37 says, “For nothing will be impossible for God.”  My old Granddad, Papa Hop, would say, “Bub, allow God to be in control of your life.” He believed that God gave us good sense and expected us to use that good sense in our everyday dealings with our fellow man. And he also knew that if we excluded God and went our own way, we would have to suffer the consequences. 

Think about where America is today and realize that we still have the opportunity to rethink our path and get down on our knees and thank the Lord we are still standing. Then, we should make every effort to use our God given abilities, intelligence, and compassion to show the world that America stands for freedom in all areas of life and with God’s help we can begin to change the direction of our journey back toward the way our forefathers had envisioned and set in place. 

We have a chance to bring change to America and to the world, but we would be wise to seek God’s counsel because through him we get our strength and resolve.  However, we are human and I think this poem that I heard Waddie Mitchell recite has a lot of truth in it.

TYPICAL

Farther out on the cliff’s edge than he had ever been before,

he sat, legs dangling high above the canyon floor.

He was lost in thought as he pondered it all,

when a gust of wind unseated him and he began to fall.

 ‘Twas a drastic situation, he didn’t dare think slow

for certain death awaited him in those rocky crags below.

So, he called upon a friend, I guess the only one he could,

you know, the one we tend to forget about when things are going good.

He said, “God, if you will help me now, I’ll mend my sinful ways,

I’ll do the things you’d have me do; I’ll work hard all my days.

I’ll quit the booze and cigarettes; I’ll help my loving wife,

I’ll spend more time with my children; I’ll turn around my life.

I’ll work hard to help the needy; I promise I’ll repent…!”

Just then a tree limb snagged his coat, and stopped his swift descent.

And as he hung there from that tree upon that shelf,

He looked skyward and said, “Uh, never mind I handled it myself!”

Now folks, that is typical! I expect most of us would be quick to ask God for help, yet not recognize the helping hand when it came. Instead we would probably think that we had found the solution to our problem on our own and though we were glad that we could ask for God’s help, we tend to be pretty proud of ourselves for handling the situation. 

The old adage that says “Give credit where credit is due!” comes into play here. It would behoove us to stop and think about the problem, who we asked to help, how it was solved, and realize that we were not in control. Quiet your mind, get still, and listen to God’s directions. 

My Ol’ Daddy always said, “A job is easier done if you ask for and accept the Lord’s help.” My young bride Stella and I have a friend who is an award-winning cowgirl poet and horsewoman. Her name is Teresa Burleson and this is an excerpt from her poem,

The Preacher

 “He taught me the importance of patience and trust, 

and I learned that forgiveness is an absolute must. 

And he taught me hard work has no substitution, 

and that I’m usually the problem and not the solution.” 

I think she was telling us that this is an important concept wherever you find yourself in life, working with people or animals, you must be still and quiet as you listen to how God is working through you.

Join us Sunday morning at First Baptist Church Marlin to worship our Lord and Savior. God bless each of you and God Bless America!