Many people feel invisible today. Some work hard and long to do the right thing – often behind-the-scenes – not for recognition or glory, but because it must be done. As a result, many folks with noble commitment go unnoticed. You’ve likely felt invisible in your hard work, faithfully doing what God asks each day. And “they” don’t seem to notice. But God notices. In fact, He says – “I Am They.”
As we go into today’s content . . . Learn Well – Live Well – Love Well . . . I first want to read off a list of one-liners we’ve heard over the years. They deal with the hum-drum of life:
Same old – same old
Been there – done that (bought the T-shirt)
Nothing new under the sun
Do it again – and again
Hummin’ right along
Another day – another dollar
Tomorrow never comes
Don’t hold your breath
Can’t trust anyone
Pie-crust promises
Where’s the beef? (that was a commercial)
Never thought I’d see the day
It ain’t gonna happen
In your wildest dreams
And on go the one-liners we’ve heard in a variety of ways. All seem to speak to an emptiness, dullness, boring repetition, and rather skeptical view of life.
But life is NOT hum-drum!Therefore, let’s explore a full, exciting, fresh-every-day, and rather hopeful view of life. Will you join me?
Have you ever received a gift from someone that became a super special treasure – but the giver didn’t know it, and neither did you? That’s what we’re going to talk about today. I didn’t realized how special a gift I received would be over the years after it was given to me. But to this day, I really like “The Fan!”
Some years back, I had an opportunity to lunch with a friend I hadn’t seen in several decades. This person was a special influence in my growth and development. I was truly excited about catching up. With great anticipation, I marked the calendar. When the day came, I was a bit nervous after so many years. But I found the lunch to be one of the most fun and meaningful days I’d had in a long time. And I remembered how this friend had influenced me to partner with God.
So, what’s “the skinny?” Apparently, the skinny on something is “the true information about someone or something that is not known by most people . . . Give me the inside/straight/real skinny.” (Merriam-Webster) The skinny is revealing some secret information. With that in mind, what’s the skinny on sinning?
When I was a kid, I had an effective way of finishing a milk shake. A straw worked for most of it. But when I got down to those final noisy slurps, I worked with gravity. Turning the cup upside-down brought last drops to me. But when that was over, I stuck my tongue in as far as I could to gather up remaining morsels. THEN – my cup was truly empty! Nothing left! Satisfying, but also disappointing. Sometimes life drains your cup. That’s when you feel empty. It can be satisfying, but also disappointing.
Have you ever been told – “You always have to be right!”? There’s likely been at least one time in your life when this has been said to you. And chances are, you’ve said it to someone else. To have to be right seems to be a human issue.
Keeping track of all the details in life is challenging. How do you track things in your life? Your workload, diet, property care and home chores? What about bill deadlines, healthcare appointments, fun with friends. To stay on top, you need a good tool. Tracking your spiritual development and growth in noble character requires a good tool, too.
The other day, I was pulling weeds in my vegetable garden. Fortunately, I found and uprooted most of the “little guys.” But there were some weeds that had been growing a bit longer. They were stubborn and tough. I had to get my fingers right down at their entrance into the earth, take a “death grip,” and pull with my whole body – just to get those “bigger guys” out of my garden! From the roots up, those weeds were supported . . . until my hands came along!