OUR BACKS TO THE WALL (Or Why Does Tragedy Strike or Problems Come to Call?)

(These thoughts are added to three times each week)

When tragedy strikes, there are two responses that are quite common in their repetition. “I deserved it. Let me tell you what I did” or the opposite, “Why did this happen to me? I don’t deserve this!”

And why does tragedy or unexpected problem or pain come to call? Did God one day kneel down and draw a line in the sand of life and then dare you to step across that line? And if you did, did He then say, “The back of my heavenly hand to you. You had your chance, you didn’t take it. Go now, you deserve the punishment you are receiving.”

I doubt it. God’s bigger than that.

There is no doubt that much pain and suffering, though certainly not all, really comes from our abuse of freedom; moral anarchy, really bad choices, a philosophy of life that says, If it feels good, it’s okay, even when it’s not okay. You see, though we human beings really are just a little lower than the angels, if we choose to sin, and then do not even feel badly about the sinning, we court chaos.

Basic truth: you pays your money - you takes your choice.

“Turn left,” says God, and we turn right for the simple reason we don’t want to turn left. “Give me guidance,” we pray, when sometimes we don’t really want guidance, what we want is clearance.

I remember when I was a little boy I would ask my parents for permission to do something. And they, seeing a bigger picture than I, would sometimes say no. At that moment I wasn’t interested in a bigger picture, only in what I wanted. And so, sometimes I would ignore their advice and follow my own foolishness, and then get in trouble. We do that don’t we; with our parents, with common sense, with God.

Ask the average person whether they would prefer to live in a jail or a mansion and they would certainly reply. “I believe I would be happier in a mansion, thank you.” And then, some of them go out and break the law and end up living in a jail. Or court pain and problems, and end up in another kind of jail. Indeed, if you could have asked my next door neighbor when he was young, which would he prefer to have, two healthy lungs or the emphysema that daily choked off his breathing? I am positive he would have readily replied, “I would prefer not to have emphysema.” But for years he smoked heavily and a few years ago he prematurely died.
But what about suffering that one does not pursue, you ask. Nature on a rampage. Floods and famine and earthquakes and hurricanes. Though I realize that insurance companies call these catastrophes acts of God, I would prefer to call the kindness of the people who at such times come out the woodwork to help people they don’t even know, acts of God. The worst of times often does bring out the best in people.

What about wars? Is God responsible for them? No. The ambitions of one man or a few men, or their anger, or their greed does not have God’s blessing. And, of course, once a war is started all the meanness in man is multiplied. And yes, in some wars, there are those who are trying to right some wrongs, rightly or wrongly in their conclusions…it is their aim.

And I know that when on television we see thousands starving to death, God did not create the famine. The needless deaths of so many, are often caused by greedy men who instead of giving out the food sent to their countries, sell it at a profit. And those who have taken freedom; the Hitler’s, the Ayatollahs, the Castro’s. When men do not practice brotherhood they worship at an altar of brutality that leads to earthly hell.

And yes, there are ignorant men around the world who will not let modern agricultural methods be practiced, or allow enough wells to be dug. Or people, who in stupidity or laziness, chop down all the trees until mud slides reap destruction or allow deserts take over where before fertile lands existed. And technology is there to stop the crisis but politics plays the heavier hand and technological help dies an early death.

But what about depression or the death of a wife or husband in a car accident? The list is long and the questions are not new ones. Go back several thousand years, and Job in the Bible asked them.

A quick overview of that Biblical story: Why did tempest destroy both his house and his children? Why did fire burn up his servants and sheep? Why miserable and painful sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his toes? Why all this to a man whom the Bible calls, “…blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil”?

And move from the Old Testament to the New – the questions do not go away. A man is born blind, though neither he nor his parents were first class sinners.

Who and why? It is the ultimate question to which we seek an ultimate answer. Nature gone awry. Accidents without rhyme or reason.

Jesus says, “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?”

And you in all honesty reply, “Tell me about it. Explain to me why I have asked for bread and have sometimes been given a stone. Explain to me why I have asked for health and been given sickness. Yeah…tell me about it.” And God does.

Through Jesus who begins to give an answer with definitions and deeds: on top of a mountain where He is tempted by the devil, when he cast out demons, when He calls him the source of all evil, “..a liar and a father of lies.” And if you let theological common sense speak to you, you begin to get a message that God allows pain and problems, but does not inflict them.

God is not a demon, nor a devil, nor schizophrenic.

If you have a problem with this answer, look at the cross. It shouts mortality…and immortality; pain…and salvation; death…and resurrection. It shouts that the power of the devil is transient power. Momentary victories, but not ultimately, triumphant.

Does God use evil to bring about good? Suffering to bring about salvation? The answer is yes. Does this mean He sends evil and suffering? The answer is no. Does than mean bad come from an evil devil and good from a good and caring God? I’m comfortable with that.

Why doesn’t God just rewrite the script of life? Edit out all pain and problems? Create paradise as a present reality rather than something to which we go? I don’t know completely why. But by study, prayer and insight, I know enough to be able to live with what I don’t know and understand.

I know that God has given us a precise and orderly world. That heavy objects don’t float and super light objects do. I know that the bodies we all inhabit are miracles that defy description. That because our digestive systems and circulation systems are at the moment working reasonably well, we are alive. That I can see you and you can see me because the pupils of our eyes are contracting and expanding. And the miracles go on and on.

God has given our bodies remarkable recuperative power: broken bones heal, most heart attacks are not fatal, and our bodies adapt and continue to function at pretty good levels.

However, He did not create us to last on this earth forever.

In Jonathon Swift’s book, Gulliver’s Travels, he tells of a land where once or twice in a generation a child is born with a circular red spot on its forehead which signifies that it will never die. Gulliver imagines these children to be the most fortunate of all people, “born exempt from the universal calamity of human nature – death.” But as he comes to know them, he realizes that they are in fact the most miserable. They grow old and feeble. Their friends and contemporaries die off. At the age of one hundred, their property is taken away and given to their children who would otherwise never inherit from them. Their bodies contract various ailments. They accumulate grudges and grievances, they grow weary of the struggles of living, and they can never look forward to being released from the pain of everlasting earthly life.
Imagine how terribly over-crowded this world would become if people lived forever. And the public outcry every time a birth took place. What a loss, if there were, in fact, no new population. No fresh starts. No new beginnings.

There are many things I do not know or comprehend , but one I can grasp is that while death at first may seem frightening and tragic, to know I would never die would be unbearable. Hey, I’m promised heaven and that’s one serious first class upgrade.

I also know that if a bullet is fired at us and the aim is good, one of us will be seriously wounded or die. And that if we go where disease is rampant, we may well walk away with that disease. If we jump out of a five story building, though someone may shout at us as we go by the third floor, so far so good, we will indeed in a very short time go splat. In God’s orderly world the law of gravity has not been repealed.

There are two types of pain – creative pain and pointless pain. Having a baby is creative pain. However, the pain endured when passing a kidney stone seems to me to be pointless, unless by driving a man to his knees he stays there long enough to pray. All kinds of pain make some people bitter, and others empathetic and compassionate. Pain, any kind of pain, is the price we pay for being alive.

And we have only two choices when there are too many problems and too much pain. One is to rebel, to complain why me? And the other is to attempt to relate, how can I make these times of pain and problem meaningful?

Poets, philosophers, theologians and the Apostle Paul have mightily sought to give satisfactory answers to these mighty questions. Paul said that the thorn in his side, which is never really identified, perfected his weaknesses.
Or, as an unknown poet wrote from his collection of pain;
I walked a mile with Pleasure,
She chattered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne’er a word said she;
But, oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me!

TEN EASY WAYS TO DRIVE FOLKS FROM CHURCH

(These thoughts are added to three times each wee)

I long ago concluded that driving people away from church is much easier than leading them to it. I therefore, with tongue in cheek, suggest the following as sure fire techniques for accomplishing such an outcome. I realize that an article like this is a dangerous thing for some folk do not understand satire nor do they have a sense of humor.

Obviously, if you are in regular attendance these suggestions will accomplish a great deal more than if your attendance is an occasional. After all, if you practice them on a regular basis the negative results will be nothing short of phenomenal.

NEVER ASK THEM TO COME IN THE FIRST PLACE. This is rule number one and it is literally worth its weight in gold. If the rule seems too severe in its initial application, procrastination may be practiced by simply stating, “I must ask them to come to church with me sometime, just not right now.” This will salve a conscience and allow sleep to knit the raveled sleeve of caring.

IF THEY COME IGNORE THEM. Sit by them but do not speak. Sing by them but do not offer them a hymn book. When the service is over, turn your back on them and engage in a lively conversation with a church member of long standing. If they are in line waiting to meet the minister, take a particularly long time in conversing with your pastor. They may quite probably grow weary of waiting and leave by the side door.

IF YOU DO SPEAK, COMPLAIN. If you are by nature a gregarious individual and must speak do not speak kindly of the church or anyone in it. Complain of the minister’s vices and speak not at all of his virtues. Tell of the trouble in the choir. Be sure and mention the women’s group is a clique (unless of course, you are a member of said group) and that you wouldn’t go if they paid you. The list of things easy to complain about in all churches is long, so just pick and choose. You will be gratified beyond words with the fallout.

ACT AS IF YOU NEVER GO TO CHURCH. Be unkind, rude and course, be filled with malicious gossip and be ready at a moment to share it, etc. There is nothing quite so powerful in building up the non-church-attending forces of our land as Christians who don’t act like it. Be sure you elicit spontaneous comment from someone each day to the effect, “If he’s a Christian, I’m not interested.”

NEVER PRAY. Believe that man can achieve the church’s success by his own hands and needs no help from God. Follow the philosophy, “Heaven for heaven, earth for earth, you know” or “I am the captain of my soul. I am the master of my fate.”

REFUSE TO WORK IN THE CHURCH. Every church needs workers and if enough members refuse to participate the inefficiency of the church program is assured. There will, of course, be certain things which cannot be done for lack of cooperation, and some other things which will not be done very well or if enough people refuse to help, not at all. This rule will also assure a good bit of doubling-up and even double tripleing-up on jobs. This latter effect gives an excellent opportunity to complain that the church is run by a few people.

LEARN THE CLASSIC CLICHES AND SPREAD THEM FAR AND WIDE. The few samples below should stimulate any reader of these thoughts to find or invent others.

God doesn’t expect you to be in church every time the door opens.”
“You can’t love everyone; God certainly understands that…”
“It’s the preacher’s job to go out and get new members. That’s what we pay him for.
There are others but these should do well for a starter.

BE NARROW MINDED. Gasp audibly when someone new at acquiring faith asks what seems a strange questions. Have no patience with anyone’s ideas concerning the church, it policies or programs if they do not agree with you 100%.

GIVE LITTLE. Do not be taken in by all the talk about giving. Excuse yourself and ease your conscience by such statements as “I have my family to think of” or “There are others who give more and some day I may give more too, just not now.” These and any other such excuses, reasons, etc. followed to the letter by enough of any congregation can guarantee a poor program, an ill-paid preacher, a building in need of repair, a lack of necessary supplies, etc. There is no end to the destructive results of a philosophy dedicated to holding back on giving to one’s church.

FIND FAULT WITH THE PREACHER. This is a drastic but it produces such excellent results that it cannot go unmentioned. In every church there are those who love their preachers, others who are lukewarm, and others who need but a spark to spring them into a fire of righteous indignation. A little black book or an excellent memory or even better, an overactive imagination can in a very short time produce a list of charges and complaints that corrupt and disrupt. Since the preacher is human it may easily be remembered that once he lost his temper with Mr. Brown, that once he failed to call on Mrs. Jones, that once he…oh well, the skies the limit. This rule will divide the congregation into units of “pro” and “con.” It will disgust new and old Christians alike. It will slow any plans for progress and send a spirit of unease throughout all the church.

The sad thing is that all of these attitudes and actions continue to be perpetuated by basically good people who give into bad moments. Unfortunately, in some cases, these kind of attitudes and actions become life long habits.

Neil Wyrick is the author of THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN, RUST ON MY SOUL & POOR RICHARD’S ALMANACK FOR THE 20TH CENTURY (all available on amazon.com) Some other book sites have even more of his out of print books still available..

IT'S RELIGION COME TO CALL

(NEW THOUGHTS ARE ADDED THREE TIMES A WEEK)

One day, in the slums of a great city, a solitary figure moved toward a termite-eaten door and gently knocked. A raucous voice on the other side screamed out a reply, “Go away, we don’t want any.” The man knocked again, softly but persistently. Finally the door opened ever so slightly and then swung wide as the little girl, instantly recognizing who it was, called back to her mother, “It’s religion come to call.”

It was, of course, Brother Bryan of Birmingham, who was said to be the only man in that southern city who could enter a bar and lead the inhabitants in prayer with no one snickering or making fun.

At first he was called Reverend, then he acquired the honorary title of Doctor. Finally, because of whom he was, he became known to everyone as “Brother Bryan.” Why? Because he called everyone he met “brother.” Rich or poor, black or white. He loved his Lord. He loved his people. He was the epitome of love.

Early in his ministry, because he worked so hard, he became seriously ill. The doctor told him that he needed to take six months off to rest or he would die. His response? “Well, if I am that sick I had better get to work because I obviously haven’t got much time left.” From that time on he never spent as much as a week sick in bed.

Once while conducting an evangelistic service in the Cumberland Mountains, two feuding families sat on either side of the church aisle. Everyone carried guns and were ready, at the drop of a hat, to begin killing each other. Brother Bryan, never one to skirt an issue, began to preach on love. When he had finished he asked the leader of each clan to come forward and place their pistols and rifles on the altar. The two men, for the first time in their lives, took Christ fully into their hearts and on that that day gave forgiveness and understanding a chance to come alive. Left anger and foolishness n the sidelines and took the commandments of the Lord into their lives. And on that day, made holy not because of the calendar but because of what happened, the feud came to an end.

Toward the end of his days, when time had finally caught up with him, someone once asked how many people he thought he had helped. "I don't have any idea," he replied. "I have always been too busy to keep records. I leave that to the angels.

Hee may not have known, but it is a fact that during his ministry he held over 8,000 funerals, married some 5,000 couples, preached at least 50,000 times and led over 8,000 people to a profession of faith.

CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE

(THESE THOUGHTS ARE CHANGED THREE TIMES A WEEK)

It is scary how often government fights religion in so many places in America. Such as the Christian Light House Youth Center in York, Pennsylvania. They were told that they had to be licensed to stay open, and that they could not be licensed until their Center had a kitchen that was completely outfitted with commercial equipment. This was interesting since they only served juice and cookies. And this idiocy is not an isolated case. Others, in different cities, have been told the same thing.

In California the minister of a homeless shelter was told by officials to simply lie and say they were not requiring attendance at Christian gospel services. They would then receive government funds. The minister said he couldn’t do that. He no longer receives government help.

A reason for Christ in the marketplace?

The very freedoms we enjoy and the style of living we have previously been blessed by come as a gift from Christianity. Over 2000 years ago, before Christ walked this earth and set up a new standard of humanity, life in the Greco-Roman world was cheap and expendable. Killing of infants was readily accepted. Child abandonment was commonplace behavior. Abortion and suicide were widespread and fully legal.

Would you make the application more current? Look at those Middle East countries, in a part of the world where Christianity has had no say, and look at the lack of freedom among its women. Where thieves still have their hands cut off. Where public beheadings are not uncommon.

Then, there is the question I hate to ask because we both know the answer. The question? What do you think would happen if a Virginia politician today wanted references about God inserted in an important piece of legislation, or urged that the Fourth of July be made into a quasi-religious holiday? The answer is obvious. “Separation of church and State!” would be shouted from a million rooftops. The ACLU would have an attack of apoplexy.
Of course, it has already happened. It was over 200 years ago, but it happened. Thomas Jefferson wanted God stuck into the Declaration of Independence and his request was unanimously accepted on July 4, 1776. And it was Jefferson’s eventual good friend, John Adams, who thought the Fourth of July should be an occasion of joy… and worship.

Indeed, George Washington once wrote, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

Nor should it be forgotten that John Adams wrote, “Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.”

(CLICK ON THIS PAGE WHERE IT SAYS "NEIL AS FRANKLIN" AND SEE HIS PORTRAYAL OF BEN FRANLIN COME BACK TO LIFE IN OUR CENTURY)(AN AWARD WINNING FILM)

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

(These thoughts are changed three times weekly)

Too many people let their goals ebb and flow. They go from high tide to mud flats. With no persistent consistency they may sparkle in the sun but too often they also stink in the dark. It happens. Therefore, if you want success…don’t be a tide.

Don't believe in the count of ten. Everyone gets knocked down but everyone doesn't lie there and allow themselves to be counted out. Don't settle for stagnation. Refuse to have a love affair with the status quo. Creativity can be dangerous. Indeed it makes some people nervous. But if you settle for worshiping at the altar of Sag you will only reap the rewards of hopelessness and helplessness.

Don't become a futurist until you conquer the present. Plan for tomorrow, but not if in the process you ignore today. To lavish all your attention, enthusiasm and knowledge on what is to come is the stuff New Year's resolutions are made of. And we know what happens to most of them.

If you can't build a castle shine up your cottage. Building the Empire State Building required engineering skills and building materials that just a century earlier didn't exist. It would have been foolish for even that grand old man of inventiveness, Ben Franklin, to have attempted such a project.

So dream your dreams bigger. Think them through and beyond. But don't build dream castles so unrealistic it is a guarantee they will collapse. When I ran track I competed against myself. I could not beat one of my teammates who broke records that had stood for years, but I could beat what I did yesterday.

Read the right books and in the process remember that the best way to tune out trash is to tune in something better. Make the Bible something you read and remember rather than something you allow to become dead and forgotten.

Touch other human beings with acts of kindness and patience so many times it becomes a habit.

What is success? The definition for you and me should always be changing because with time you gain not just more knowledge but more wisdom, and wisdom is, after all where the best answer will always be found.

When I think on success I often bring up the following definition. It has served and serves me well. “He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was inspiration; whose memory was a benediction. (Bessie Stanley)(1905)

NO!

(New thoughts are added three times a week)

Rejection is no fun. Losing a job, a mate or a dream is just plain down and dirty. Right now, millions of people are waking up in the morning with no job to go to and millions more are worried tomorrow may bring the same for them. And many others have watched their dreams shattered at their feet and are no mood to take them and try to make a mosaic.

Are there ways to handle rejection that are better than just plain survival? Are there attitudes that can make things better if not solve the actual problem itself?

Well, to start with …remember when you were a baby trying to learn how to walk and your body rejected the idea. Time after time you fell and you got tired of it. But each time you made what can be called a monumental decision. You didn’t give up. You got up. Eventually, bad became better and you achieved. Before success you literally fell on your face on a regular basis but things did get better didn't they?

Remember the opening days of trying to learn the alphabet and those chicken tracks called numbers. Perhaps you have always been a whiz with words or great with numbers. Or maybe neither was true and you just hung in there. If you hadn’t you wouldn’t be able to read the exit signs or figure out a bargain at the grocery store so you failed your way toward success. Persistence gives great payoffs.

The secret to success is remembering you may be a terrible shot with a twenty two but that you can be a whiz with a shot gun. Even a blind man can hit a baseball if he swings often enough. When things go wrong, increase your attempts because you accept the truth that the power of addition is with you. Every strikeout is a teacher whether it is a relationship or seeking another job or mate or whatever is your goal.

One actress fired after a host of insults by her director refused to wallow in self pity.. Instead she wrote a One Woman Drama called “Fired” and turned a terrible failure into a wonderful success.

Of my ten books, nine are non fiction. It is why my editors wouldn’t publish my one attempt at writing a novel. They said, “You are a non fiction writer. You are not a novelist.” I replied, “I must be a novelist because I just wrote one.” Twenty years and 78 rejections later my one novel, Rust On My Soul, was published by an International publisher and ended up being sold for pounds as well as dollars. What if I had quit after the seventy seventh try?

I was badly injured in a hang gliding accident in 1982. My arm was paralyzed and while I regained most of my mobility there are still lingering problems from that monumental day. But what counts are not the few remaining physical limitations but the so much positive recovery that did take place. Lets just call it a "No" in lower case.

In short, expect rejection, it is a part of life. Prepare for failure. No one always succeeds. Any successful executive will tell you he is ecstatic if he can be right 40% of the time.

You feel people don’t like you? Have you stopped to think it may be they don’t like your ideas? Stop and decide if your ideas are worth holding on to or if they can be changed. If they mean a lot to you, hold on to them and accept the rejection. It is a price all leaders have to pay.

Romantic rejection? One thing that is definitely a no-no in handling this problem is going out immediately and trying to find someone else to fill the gap. It isn’t fair to you because you are not really in the mood for a relationship and it isn’t fair to the other person because they are already on the wrong end of a very negative time in your life.

Hey. Clouds come. Rain rains. Don't curse the sky. Improve your skill with an umbrella.

There is a magic word that will help you to handle rejection in a new and positive way. The word is “NEXT!” When you have been given the “thumbs down” or “royal brush off” or “cold shoulder” meet the moment with the magic word “NEXT!”

It works like a miracle drug because when you articulate the word you put away the past and aim toward the future. There is room only for hope in the word. There is the persuasion of believing that a ton of new dawns are just over the horizon. It is the positive thinker’s mantra. It is a truth looking for its chance to come alive in your head and heart. Try it…you’ll like it.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A CHILD? WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A PARENT?

(These thoughts are added to three times each week)

Too many parents forget what it was like when they were a child. Children, of course, have no history of being a parent. It is still a role to be opened up to them in some distant future.

How then to bridge the gap? How then to heal the too often breaches made? What can and should be done so child and parent can better understand each other even if they will never completely agree?

Role playing! It may produce laughter, but it may well also produce some of that elusive necessity for better living; understanding.

Therefore, sooner than later, look at your child and say “Let’s play a game. For a little while I’m going to be you and you’re going to be me.” They will, of course, look at you as if you have gone mad or sincerely wonder where this conversation is going.

Spell it out! “I can remember when you acted out the part of a policeman or nurse. I can remember your playacting a lot of roles so today we’re both going to do it in a different way. I am going to act as if I am your age, a child, and you are going to act as if you are my age, a parent.” When they get through laughing or maybe even looking a little scared at the idea…continue.

“It will be fun and it will help both of us understand each other better. First, to give me a better idea of how you are feeling when I fuss at you for not doing something; I am going to pretend to be you. And to give you better idea of how I am feeling when you drag your feet I want you to try to be me. I know your excuses. You know my responses. It’s just that we both will be hearing the words from a different point of view.”

“Now, I am not going to get mad at you so I do want you act and sound like I do when I ask you to do something. How I sound? What do I say?” And, yes, no fair getting your feelings hurt if your child really gets into it. “And you aren’t supposed to get mad at me. Want to give it a try?”

Both of you may have a little trouble getting into the spirit of the game. You may want to work out your own way of explaining what it is you want to do. Your imagination may require some mental massaging but don’t give up on the idea. Most problems arise because we really don’t get in the other person’s frame of mind.

(Neil Wyrick has written nine books, The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln, Rust on My Soul and Poor Richard’s Almanack for the 20^th Century are still available on amazon.com and many other outlets)