“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”- Heb. 12:2-3
Have you ever wondered why animal trainers carry a stool when they enter the lion’s cage? A whip and pistol we can understand– but why a stool? I recently read the answer. “According to one expert, the stool is the most important tool of the trainer. The trainer holds the stool by the seat and thrusts the legs toward the face of the wild animal. The lion tries to focus on all four legs at once and becomes tame because his attention is fragmented, or his focus is blurred.”
Even so, some people spend a lot of their life focused on things they can’t control or change, and doing things that don’t really matter. We tend to live as though life is all about us and now, rather than God and eternity. Most people depend on happenings for their happiness — how much money they make from the stock market, the weather, who wins the game, etc. I read about a football team several years ago that lost a game 51-0. Trying to comfort the team, the coach told them to just forget it– “there are 800 million Chinese who don’t even know we played a game today!”. Had that happened today he would have to say 1.42 billion. Think about it. What matters so much to us sometimes doesn’t really matter. We focus too much on self, our pleasures and problems, and not enough on God. And our focus is always on one or the other. The choice is ours. We can choose the choice but not the consequences. If we focus on the wrong thing things we endanger ourselves. Counting our blessings is better than cursing our burdens.
Tough times, although painful, aren’t always bad. We usually have a closer fellowship with God during the difficult days than we do in delightful days. That’s why Paul wrote, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” ( 2 Cor. 12:9-10). In some cases not having a handicap is our greatest handicap. Things are so good that we fail to see our need of God, and that’s bad! –— HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
