"God gave us minds to use and He meant for us to use those minds!"
A rabbi in Russia once summoned all of the Jews of his village to assemble in the main square the next day at noon. He had an announcement of the greatest importance to make. He ordered all the merchants to close their shops, all nursing mothers to bring their infants. Everyone, no exceptions, should be there.
The people wondered what the announcement could be. Was a pogrom imminent? Would there be a new tax? Was the rabbi going to leave?
At noon, the entire community was gathered. Everyone waited with baited breath. Precisely at twelve, the Rabbi rose and said, "I, Levi Yitzhak, son of Sarah, have gathered you here today in order to tell you...There is a God in the world."
At first the people were perplexed. Was this the big announcement that they had left their homes and closed their shops to hear? Had the rabbi convened them only to tell them something that every school child already knew? But then, as they thought about it, they began to say to themselves, "Indeed, what could be more important than to know that there is a God in the world." (The American Rabbi, February, 1993)
With this story we begin the second part of our New Year's series entitled Rules of the Road for the New Year. As we have in the past, we will be exploring some stories and bits of wisdom to keep us on the right road and heading in the right direction during the year ahead.
The rabbi in our opening story knew that it is important, now and then, to just stop whatever it is we are doing and recognize the presence of God. We certainly do this at worship on Sunday in the church. What the rabbi tells us is that we must also recognize God's presences in the middle of the week and in the center of our villages; perhaps while we are walking down El Paseo or driving along Highway 111; standing on the fairway of the golf course, or in the supermarket. Take a moment, look up and affirm His presence. Then get on with your lives. For what could be more important than to know there is a God in the world and in the middle of our village!
The popular astronomer, Carl Sagan, who died this past year, put it in his own inimitable way. "There are just two options," he said. "Either there is someone (God) out there or there isn't. Both options are frightening."
Along with recognizing that God exists, it is also helpful to remember that He is on your side. I remember reading one of those short The Reader's Digest nuggets about the mini-miracles of ordinary life: "Have you ever noticed that once in a while the fundamental laws of the universe seem to be momentarily suspended and everything goes right?"
My next rule of the road is short and to the point. Jesus' great commandment is that we should love God with all our hearts and souls and minds. God gave us minds to use, to help us discriminate between right and wrong, what's real and what's unreal, what's helpful and not helpful in life, and He meant for us to use these minds! Here's a classic example of how easy it is for us to get caught in a nonthinking mode: Several years ago the producers of TV's Candid Camera show set up a roadblock on a narrow road between New Jersey and Delaware. A sign was erected which read:
DELAWARE IS CLOSED TODAY
When motorists asked why, they were told that Delaware was overcrowded and under repair and it was suggested that they try again tomorrow. Just about everyone obeyed. One woman even asked meekly if New Jersey was still open.
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry when I hear such a story, but it is a helpful reminder to use God's gift of rational thinking while we are strolling down life's road.
Next on my list, remember when you are feeling put out or "down in the dumps" that nobody bats a thousand in life. Most of us have heard both sides of the Babe Ruth story--although the Babe was home run king with over seven hundred home runs to his credit, he was also the leader in career strikeouts with over fourteen hundred on his record.
The great hitters in baseball are those who average one out of three. A record of .333 can make a player a millionaire. Most good players are satisfied to hit the ball once out of four times they step up to the plate. Weathermen and quarterbacks get paid well for being right about thirty percent of the time. What counts is that we do our very best every time we step up to life's challenges. Once again, a story which makes this point:
Near the end of World War I, an American battalion was ordered to attack the well-defended German line. Without realizing it, they found an undefended hole in the line and broke through into enemy territory. The Germans closed the gap and the Americans found themselves surrounded.
To make matters worse, they came under friendly fire as American support artillery were shooting into the area where they were trapped. The only way to get a message back to the artillery unit was by carrier pigeon and the pigeon handler was down to one bird.
A desperate message was attached to its leg and off it flew. German riflemen spotted the carrier pigeon and shot at it as the pigeon crossed their lines. The pigeon lost a leg, an eye and suffered a smashed breast, but it made it safely home and delivered the message to stop the shelling, saving many lives.
The moral of this story is simple. During those times when we are surrounded by problems and are down to "one pigeon," we gotta send a message to God for help and keep that message flying like a one-eyed, one-legged pigeon with a wounded heart.
Last on my life of Rules for the New Year: Don't be afraid to take a stand for God and your faith. Most of us feel that life is very demanding, and indeed it is. But when it comes to our faith, I fear it is not demanding enough. We are seldom pushed to the point where we have to take a firm stand--saying to the world, "This is what I believe," and then stake our life on that faith.
Years ago, a Yale professor assigned a difficult mathematics problem as homework for his students. The following morning one student after another went up to the board to demonstrate his answer. Each time the professor told the student he had the wrong answer. Finally, in exasperation, the professor turned toward the class and said, "Isn't there anyone who has the right solution?"
From the back of the room a student's hand rose and the professor nodded for the student to solve the problem. The student was nervous. He had stayed up nearly the whole night working on his solution and believed he had it right.
When he finished the professor shouted, "Wrong. Didn't you hear me tell some of the other students their answer was wrong and look, you got the same solution as they did."
"But, professor," the student responded, "my answer is correct. I'm sure of it." "Are you trying to put me down?" the professor challenged. "Well, no, sir," the student continued, "but I am absolutely sure."
The teacher smiled. "You are correct; it is the right answer." At this point, the other students began to complain loudly. "That's not fair!" they shouted. "We got that answer, too!'
The professor raised his hands to quiet them. "Someday you'll be out in the world and people will demand answers to problems. They will not only want the correct answer, but they will also want to know that the person giving it had enough confidence in his answer to take a firm stand for it."
Along with standing up for right answers to life's problems, my hope for us this year is that we will also take a firm stand for our personal faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
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