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Tempting Trout

Whether it is paddling my canoe or fly fishing, I love spending time on a river.  A favorite place of mine is Roaring River in Missouri.

On one trip, son-in-law and I were not getting many strikes until we identified what insect was hatching and causing the trout to rise to the surface of the water. Once we discovered what was irresistible to the trout, we made a quick dash to Tim's Fly Shop and purchased some new dry flies.

The secret to successful trout fishing is found in the words: match the hatch. This involves the use of a fake that is worked in a specific manner, so it appears to be the real thing--deception is the key!

I seriously doubt that the Apostle James ever did any fly fishing, but he did outline the principles of baiting: When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

The practical summary of his principles is seen in the 4 steps below:

1. Looked--The fish looks at the bait.
2. Tooked--The fish takes the bait.
3. Hooked--The fish is hooked.
4. Cooked--The fish is in the frying pan and cooked

James describes temptation as something that is powerful and persistent. The construction of the Greek speaks of continuous action that culminates in lust being conceived. The picture is that of an almost inescapable death grip that robs you of your vitality.

A good example of this is the enticing techniques used by a cone snail to deceive and then devour a clown fish. You can see it here.

Most of us know when we should say, No! Then again, most of us are less like Jesus and more like Mae West who said: I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it . . . Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

I think the words of West lack the wisdom of Wesley. Susanna Wesley was the 25th child of 25 children and gave birth to 19 children herself. Her many life experiences taught her much: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sight of God, takes from you your thirst for spiritual things or increases the authority of your body over your mind, then that thing to you is evil. By this test you may detect evil no matter how subtly or how plausibly temptation may be presented to you.

It's easy to live life at its lowest and to be haunted with regrets. It's much harder and far better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare (John Dryden).

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A Blind Eye

I think an event in 1963 was the first time I really saw racial prejudice directed towards another persos. We were vacationing in the South and had spent the night at a relatives house. When we were about to leave the next morning, I heard my Dad’s cousin say: Now Eddie, about 10 miles South of here you’ll go through a little town. Everybody that lives there is a N–. If one of those worthless black N– walks out in front of your car, just run over them. No need to stop–it’s just a N!
Even though I was just 10, I knew the hate-filled words of Dad’s cousin were wrong. The idea that anyone could over another human being and leave them to die in the road was just wrong.

It was Gandhi who said: An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.
If you know anything about history, you know that far too many people have been blinded by hatred and prejudice.

 A record of these misguided emotions can be seen in the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England. A graphic portrayal of the devastation of generations of enslaved men, women, and children is displayed. Etched into one wall of the museum are the words of Frederick Douglass, former slave and crusader for human rights: “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.” In the act of dehumanizing others, we dehumanize ourselves.

Each of use have a circle of influence, and we need to do what we can do to right wrongs. A clear teaching of the New Testament is the power of love when it is shared. We are told that love covers a multitude of sin (I Peter 4:8).

The prose of Sam Levenson offers sublime suggestions on what each of us can do to change the world in which we live.

For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”

I hope this thought thought keeps you thinking.

Tada, Tebow and Culture

Political correctness and religious zeal are a mismatch and rarely go hand in hand.   Their underlying principles place them at opposite ends of the cultural continuum.  This may be one of the reasons that Tim Tebow has so many rabid detractors.  Tebow doesn't  worry about  political correctness, and he's not ashamed of his Christian values.

At the 2010  National Prayer Breakfast sponsored by Prison Fellowship, Tebow said:  Football is a means to an end for me...sharing the love of Christ, that IS the end!

I think this quote sheds some light on the public animosity directed towards Tebow—His worldview is out of step with much of the world.

A person’s worldview is formed in relation to boundary questions:

·         Who am I?

·         Why am I here?

·         Where am I going?

·         What is my purpose in life?

These questions act as a camera lens that colors our world and causes us to focus on specific areas.  Our worldview can be the source of stress when the horizontal dimension (physical) of our life is in conflict with the vertical dimension (spiritual).

The lives of two different people, Joni Eareckson Tada  and Christopher Reeve,  illustrate this fact.  In July of 1967, Tada broke her neck in a diving accident.  In May of 1995 Reeve, broke his neck when he was thrown from a horse.  As a result of their injuries, both were confined to life in a wheel chair

To their credit, both Tada and Reeve were determined to make the best of their circumstances; however, they shared two different approaches to their future.  Tada was unwilling to use stem cell research, while Reeve promoted its use.

Tada has drawn a line in the sand and espoused her worldview:  If we violate a human embryo today, tomorrow we will become callous about the fetus, then the infant, and then people with physical defects...let's influence society with reasoned judgment, strength of character, and a commitment to improve our culture, not diminish it.

Both Tada and Tebow embrace a worldview that can be summed up in three words: Jesus is Lord.     This is in stark contrast to the godless, inward-focused, me-first culture that envelopes us. 

Tada and Tebow understand that life is full of highs and lows, and whether a person is up or down, Jesus is constant.  They find common ground with David's proclamation: The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;  my Savior, You save me from violence.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:2-4).

No doubt about it, Tebow is different, and I find this to be refreshing.  Instead of the end zone antics that shout, it's all about me, the bended knee of Tebow says, it's all about He that is within me.

Briefly Boxing

One of the jobs I had as a teenager was at a men's clothing store in downtown El Dorado, Kansas.  After school, I would walk to this men's clothing store and stock the shelves, fold clothing, and wait on customers. 

This was an upscale store of fine clothing that included briefs and boxers.  While I was unpacking a box, something occured to me:  The shorts boxers wear in the ring, looked alot like the boxers I was putting on the shelves. 

I jokingly said to a co-worker:  In some fights, boxers only box briefly and its possible that some just box in their briefs. 

A boxer that briefly boxed was Sonny Liston.  I listened to the Ali-Liston rematch  in May of 1965.  It was a brief contest that only went 1 round for a total of 105 seconds.

The apostle Paul never said anything about briefs and boxers, but he did write about boxing briefly.  If we are content with shadow boxing, Paul said, we will never accomplish much.  To be successful, we need to discipline the body.

Paul must have liked sports, because he would refer to the dedication of an athlete to make a point:  The athlete competes to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

We see this analogy in Hebrews 12:1--let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Far too often we try to live life as though it is a sprint.  In reality though, it is a marathon.

Like a boxer or a distance runner, we need to learn to pace ourselves, and we do this by  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

What kind of a training regimen do you have? To fight a good fight, to finish the contest, and to claim your prize, you need to consider a disciplined life of prayer and study.

Lessons From An Aunt

It was Solomon who said that we can learn from the ant: Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8).

My Aunt Fern never said much to me about ants, but she did know what she was talking about when it came to beekeeping. Aunt Fern was my great aunt, and I loved her delicious honey and the times we spent together in conversation.

One thing I learned from Aunt Fern is that bees are sowers and reapers. She was quick to point out that bees are not just "takers" they're also givers. The relationship between the bee and the flower is symbiotic: As bees take nectar from the flower they pollinate it.

To collect a sufficient amount of honey, bees have been know to travel great distances and visit many flowers. Once the nectar is collected, it is shared with other bees in the hive where it is processed and stored.

The honey bee is a good illustration of New Testament Christianity. Paul said we are many members but one body. Each member of the body is to share his gifts and abilities with the other members.

For the health of the hive one of the first tasks a bee has is to provide nourishment via the fluid from its milk glands. The same is true for the church: The members start with the milk of the Word and then move on to the meat.

During one of my last bee-focused discussions with Aunt Fern, I thought of the words of Jesus: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The sacrifical service of the honey bee is an excellent illustration of this principle.

Here's a final thought to keep you thinking: To have a healthy humming hive, each person needs to be busy doing what is required of him--We are to be faithful stewards.

Free At Last

One of my Christmas gifts was the book Unbroken. It is the compelling of the life of Louis Zamperini.

The early life of Zamperini was one of hardship that led him to a life of juvenile delinquency; however, circumstance demanded a change, and change he did.  He became an Olympic distance runner who competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 

It was thought that Louis would become the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes, but that changed with the start of WW II.  Like many young men of that era, Zamperini soon found himself among the ranks of the military.

The book traces Louis’ life from his crash in the Pacific to his arduous 47 days afloat on a raft; and, his time as a POW.  As the subtitle says, Louis’ story is one of survival, resilience, and redemption.

After his post war life began to crumble and his marriage was about to fail, redemption was Zamperini’s only hope.  His wife convinced him to attend a revival with her.  During the sermon, the young evangelist, Billy Graham, said something that reminded Louis of a promise he had made.

While he had been adrift on the raft and about to die of thirst, Louis had made a promise--He would serve heaven forever, if he could only be rescued. 

Louis can still remember what Graham said:  When people come to the end of their rope and there's nowhere to turn, they turn to God—no matter who they are. Louis thought: Yeah, I made thousands of promises on the raft and in prison camp. He kept His promises, but I didn't keep mine. Louis went to the prayer room and made a confession of faith in Christ, and said: While I was still on my knees, I knew my whole life had changed.

On that life-changing day, Louis Zamperini discovered the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17:  if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  From that day to now Louis has kept the promise he made on that raft in 1943.  This bombardier, who nearly died in the salty Pacific, kept his promise and became the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

When Louis experienced the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, he had an overwhelming desire to forgive those who had tormented him while a POW.  The hatred that had filled him was gone and at last, Louis was finally free.