LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER

LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER

It is of paramount importance that we learn to look beneath the surface, beyond mere exteriors.  Often, priceless treasures are hidden within what (at first glance) seems to be sure and certain failure.

A man was exploring caves by the seashore.  In one of the caves, he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It seemed that someone had rolled those clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They really didn’t look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he carried the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, he threw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he accidentally dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock.  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Overwhelmed with excitement, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.  Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars of rare jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him.  He had been walking on the beach for a long time.  He had thrown approximately 50 or 60 clay balls, with their hidden treasures, into the ocean waves.  Instead of tens of thousands of dollars of value, he could have possessed hundreds of thousands, but he had simply thrown those muddy balls away!

It’s like that with people.  We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. Sometimes, they don’t look like much from the outside.  They aren’t always gorgeous, or bright, or sparkling, so we are tempted to discount and discard them.  Sometimes, we see such a person as less important than one who is more accomplished, stylish, famous, or wealthy.  But we just have not taken the time or effort to discover the treasure hidden inside.

Indeed, there is a rare treasure within each and every one of us.  If we take the time to get to know a person, and if we ask GOD to show us that person the way HE sees them, then the exterior clay begins to dissolve and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a veritable ‘fortune’ in friendships because priceless ‘gems’ were hidden inside ugly bits of clay.  May we learn to SEE as GOD sees.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

GREET TROUBLE WITH A SMILE!

GREET TROUBLE WITH A SMILE!

It is imperative that you continue to pursue the unique character and calling which God has endowed at your birth and planned for your life – long before the foundation of the world.  (Ephesians 1:4 – Jeremiah 29:11) My friends, we must learn to greet troubles and obstacles with genuine smiles.  James, the brother of Jesus, admonishes us to “count it all joy” when trials or oppositions knock at the door.  Our highest spiritual perspective, i.e. THE WORD, teaches us that PURPOSE is always resident in problems, pressures and pain.

James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Count it all joy!  God has a particular reason for this specific season.  OPPOSITION will come.  Without question, it will manifest itself since it is an organic and expected reality of life.  OPPOSITION is a fascinating reality, a most intriguing word.  Let’s examine it more closely.  OP–POSITION, also known as OPERATION–POSITION, is not a blessing-blocker, even though it typically looks and feels like it.  Always remember: CONTRARY WINDS actually position us for forward progress.  They become the wind in our sails that transports us into the heart of divine purpose and destiny.

Smile.  Relax.  Rejoice.  Be glad.  GOD’S got your back!  And HE will somehow reconfigure and reposition every circumstance (no matter how it looks or feels) to enable and empower your victory.  The last paragraph on the last page in the last chapter of the last book says this: “WE WIN!”  Therefore, let’s get our mind off what WE SEE and focus on what GOD SAYS.  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (II Corinthians 5:7) OUR SPIRITUAL SENSE will continually impart a personal, powerful and productive awareness of the presence and plans of Almighty God.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

And we KNOW that ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

Greet unexpected challenges with a smile.  In truth, they are DESTINY-DEVELOPERS, not the blessing-blockers they may appear to be.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

WHO AM I? WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

WHO AM I?  WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

In order for us to effectively navigate those twisting and tortuous turns in the stream of human existence, it is necessary to have a sure and steadfast knowledge of our identity and purpose.  I love Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s perspective on this issue.  He wrote, “We are not HUMAN BEINGS having a spiritual experience.  We are SPIRITUAL BEINGS having a human experience.”  The Word declares that, on the sixth day of creation, “GOD created man IN HIS OWN IMAGE.” (Genesis 1:27) We are made in the likeness of God, and it is universally understood that “GOD IS A SPIRIT.” (John 4:24) 

These revelatory insights beg the question, ‘Why, then, do we humans have the tendency to overemphasize and engage NATURAL MATTERS, more so than SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES?’

The Apostle Paul admonishes us to retain a strong spiritual focus as we experience life on this earthly plain. “If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1) Jesus Christ poses a most strategic question, which simultaneously serves as a sobering warning: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

My friend, you are MORE than your career, your place of residence, your wardrobe, your education, or anything that you can visualize or perceive with your five senses.  INDEED, YOU WERE MADE FOR MUCH HIGHER PURPOSES.  YOU WERE CREATED TO HONOR, SERVE AND WORSHIP GOD.  Therefore, it is imperative that you discover and embrace the HEAVENLY MEANING in every earthly matter.  In other words, don’t ever allow that which really counts to get lost in the daily ‘sauce’ of life.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

TOO GROWN?

TOO GROWN?

In our youth, the resonating voice of ‘Big Mama’ was a larger-than-life presence in every African-American neighborhood.  Whenever any child approached the boundaries of decorum and behavior, she would boom powerfully, “You are getting way too big for your britches…too grown!”  We knew, immediately and instinctively, exactly what Big Mama meant and the dire consequences of any failure to comply.  The hour had arrived for us to settle down and start acting like the ladies-and-gentlemen-in-waiting we were exhorted and expected to be.

Big Mama’s corrective diatribes remind me of a signature admonition of Jesus Christ, who is so skillful at summoning us to higher reflection, responsibility and renewed recognition of our better angels: 

Matthew 18:2-4 (NKJV)

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

One might query, ‘Exactly what is it about CHILDREN that causes The Master to place such high value on their intrinsic nature and disposition?’  Several character traits come to mind.

children reflect the innocence of pure wonder.  They somehow see the world and its inhabitants in ways that are as alluring and awesome as any bedtime tale that ever crossed the threshold of their hearing and imagination.  How bright and how beautiful are the robins, the cardinals, the rabbits, the turtles, the sunflowers and the daffodils when glimpsed through the wide-eyed gaze of a young child!  May we adults never become SO GROWN that we lose our ability to appreciatively observe a unique sunset or stare in awe at a magnificent rainbow.

children are QUICK TO RENEW AND RESTORE.  Mere minutes after the fiercest disagreement they find it easy to embrace, to accept and turn again toward love.  Grudges are a decidedly adult phenomenon, the combative fiefdom of us grown-ups who have somehow learned to remember things that are better forgotten and forgiven.

children are FUNDAMENTALLY HONEST.  Although they are certainly capable of enacting deception, the truest tendency of a child is to be transparent and authentic.  That is, children tend to smile when they feel happy; they frown or cry when they are feeling sad.  Typically, there is no fake-face or façade with children.  They are who they are.

children need GENUINE INTIMACY AND BONA FIDE SPIRITUALITY.  Therefore, families should be nests of security – safe havens and wombs for personal growth and development.  In such spaces, faith tends to blossom organically and spontaneously, as a divinely-seeded reality.  To wit, our children stand in need of consistent nurture – to be respected, reproved and lovingly touched – by the caring hands of God and the compassionate hands of His people.

No wonder Jesus Christ held children in such high esteem!  

Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14) So today, I promise OUR FATHER that I will try my best to become as A LITTLE CHILD.  I will pause to observe His creation, and I will reflect upon it (and upon Him) with great gratitude and genuine joy.  I will strive to forgive, just as I am forgiven by Him.  I will be honest, first with myself, and with others.  I will diligently sustain my spiritual connectivity with Christ and the fellow-children who inhabit and steward this earthly plain.  If they are conscientiously and systematically applied, these four decision-principles will position and prepare me for the Kingdom of Heaven.  Will you join me in this spiritual quest?

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

DISAPPOINTMENT IS A TEACHER

DISAPPOINTMENT IS A TEACHER

A while back, I came across a short anecdote that caused me to reflect on the up-and-down nature of the human condition and what might be our best response to it.

A husband got into a bit of trouble on his wedding anniversary.  The morning before the anniversary, his wife beamed a bright smile at him and announced, “Tomorrow there will be something in the driveway for me that goes from zero to one hundred in just two seconds.”

The next morning the wife went outside and found a beautiful box in the driveway.  She opened it and discovered a pink bathroom scale.  She was not at all amused.

Disappointments do happen.

Throughout this journey called life, all of us experience and learn to navigate disappointments.  Those smile-evaporating experiences can be encountered anywhere…virtually everywhere.

Since disappointment is an inevitable component of life, why not make up your mind to learn from it?  Instead of becoming despondent or depressed, why not petition GOD for the PRACTICAL WISDOM needed to transform life’s lemons into lemonade?

It’s the encouraging lesson found in Romans 8:28 – “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

It’s the heart and soul of my life-verse, which says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) 

My friend, don’t keep dwelling on your present circumstances.  Surely life has taught you by now that these conditions could be only temporary.  Prepare for tomorrow by trusting the Lord today.  DESTINY IS CALLING.  Can you hear it?  Your flow is in your future, not in your past.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

BLESSED ASSURANCE

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Belinda and I had been actively studying and meditating on the biblical book of Romans.  Let’s allow one of our favorite passages from the Word to speak for itself:

 Romans 8:1-28 (New King James Version)

¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. ¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. ²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

AMEN!  Through Jesus Christ’s vicarious suffering, gracious atonement and life-affirming resurrection, we believers are fully empowered to be victorious change-agents – operating in this world system for the glory of God and the expansion of His Kingdom.  Stand up, my friends, and walk forward in faith.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

IN THE BEGINNING...GOD

IN THE BEGINNING…GOD

My friend, don’t you dare leave home today (or any other) without GOD! After all is said and done, HE alone is our creator and sustainer. HE is “the author and finisher of our faith,” which means that HE is our savior, source, shepherd, deliverer, guide, confidante, comforter, encourager, healer, intercessor, burden-bearer, friend and supplier of all that we truly need. (Hebrews 12:2)

The Holy Writ begins with the foundational principle that informs and inspires our faith: “In the beginning GOD…” (Genesis 1:1) For the next few moments, think deeply about that.

Why not make GOD part-and-parcel of all your beginnings, whether involving family matters, health concerns, business decisions, financial considerations, relationship struggles, or whatever issues might intersect or impact your life?

My best advice for this day (or any other) is simply this:

WHATEVER IT IS…TRUST GOD WITH IT!

“Trust in THE LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

As we learn to fully invest our trust and confidence in HIM, in His unfailing Word, His eternal covenant and His intimate relationship with all believers, we will walk in absolute assurance and victory.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

UNYIELDING HOPE

UNYIELDING HOPE

A friend once approached me and shouted, “I’M HOPPING MAD!”  He was outraged at the attitude and comments of a co-worker.  I paused to reflect for a moment, and then decided to challenge him.  I asked, “Why don’t you decide right now to REFOCUS YOUR FEELINGS about this?  Never give another person that much power and control over your day or your life.  Instead of being “HOPPING MAD,” why don’t you make up your mind to be “HOPING GLAD?  I’m talking about HOPE!”  Hearing this, he smiled faintly, and remarked, “That’s sounds pretty corny, brother, but I feel you on this.  I refuse to HOP through this day in anger.  Instead, I will HOPE for something better!”  At that point, a genuine smile surfaced and literally transformed his countenance.

A word of advice: ALWAYS CHOOSE HOPE!  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. suggested, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose INFINITE HOPE.”  More importantly, GOD declared, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Prayerfully meditate on the following scriptures, and if needed, give yourself an attitude adjustment.

Psalm 119:49 (NKJV)

Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to HOPE.

Psalm 130:5 (NKJV)

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do HOPE.

Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

Let us hold fast the confession of our HOPE without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Romans 15:4 (NKJV)

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have HOPE. 

My friend, it is time for a new resolution, one that each of us must cherish and pursue: 

“I will hold fast to the HOPE that resides in my covenant relationship with CHRIST.”

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE FAIL MORE OFTEN

SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE FAIL MORE OFTEN

It is a paradox, but it is true.  Great success is frequently preceded by (or interrupted by) great failure. Consider the American professional baseball Hall of Famer, Hank Aaron.  During “Hammerin’ Hank’s” 23-year career, he hit a record-setting 715 home runs, but he struck out 1,383 times while doing so.  The Lesson: Don’t ever be fearful of a near miss or an apparently abject failure; it may merely be the prelude or portal to phenomenal victory.

When you are tempted to feel discouraged, remember the LAW OF THE SEED.  That is, the more you SOW of your TIME, TALENT and treasure, the more opportunity you create for success.  Is there natural evidence for this spiritual principle?  Yes!  The average apple tree contains five hundred apples, with an average of seven seeds per apple.  Bottom-line: Many seeds sown could somehow result in failure.  Therefore, multiple seeds are necessary to guarantee productive and positive results.

Perhaps you have not tried hard enough, long enough, or been consistent enough.  Think and evaluate. 

Job seekers may have to work their way through twenty (or more) interviews before landing the right position.  Employers might have to interview forty (or more) candidates before finding the right employee. Sales reps might have to identify fifty (or more) prospects before setting five appointments and closing one deal.  You and I might have to wade through hundreds of acquaintances before finding one special friend.

Understanding the LAW OF THE SEED minimizes frustration and disappointment.  It is helpful to read the biographies of successful individuals.  Whenever such authors are candid and complete, we invariably discover times of trouble and testing in which persons-now-at-the-top have experienced unsettling setbacks that shook their foundations and brought them to their knees.  Perhaps, the ‘knee-position’ is the greatest place and posture any human can occupy. 

My friend, don’t waste time and energy bemoaning failure.  Simply plant more seeds.  While doing so, TRUST GOD.  After all, HE is Lord of the harvest.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

BALANCE AND PERSPECTIVE

BALANCE AND PERSPECTIVE

Every day, believers live with the hope and peace that stems from maintaining a Godly balance and perspective.  Jesus Christ admonishes us, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) As we make the deliberate decision to live worry-free, we are (at the same time) making the choice to live stress-free.  This does not mean that it will be impossible for negative circumstances or events to knock at our doors.  Rather, it informs us that we have definite choices as to how we will respond.

It reminds me of the story of a poor farmer who lived near a forest in a remote village.  This farmer had a beautiful white horse, a most magnificent stallion.  The farmer’s thoroughbred stallion was in high demand, and many merchants offered huge amounts of money if he would only agree to sell him.

His villager friends became terribly excited at this good news.  “You are so blessed to own such a valuable horse!” they smiled.

The farmer calmly replied, “It is true that my horse may be a blessing.  But we cannot say how things will turn out because nobody knows exactly what will happen on tomorrow.”

The villagers did not care at all for his seemingly passive response.

One day the farmer’s horse disappeared.  The villagers banded together and searched everywhere, but could not find the missing stallion.  The villagers criticized the farmer.  “You should have sold that horse when you had the chance,” they insisted.  “It is a terrible curse that your horse has now been stolen.”

The farmer calmly replied, “It is true that my horse may be missing.  But we cannot say how things will turn out because nobody knows exactly what will happen on tomorrow.”

Of course, the villagers frowned at his response.  They could not believe that the farmer had lost such a priceless horse and seemed not to be at all upset.

After a few days, to the great surprise of the villagers, the missing stallion galloped home and brought a dozen white horses from the forest with him.  The surprised villagers gathered around the farmer and said, “You are so blessed. You loved that horse so much, and that’s why he brought these horses home with him.”

The farmer calmly replied, “It is true that my stallion brought a dozen more horses to me.  But we cannot say whether it is a blessing or not, because nobody knows exactly what will happen on tomorrow.”

By now, the villagers thought the farmer was certifiably crazy.  He was the recipient of a dozen free horses, and still he could not see that this was a tremendous blessing.

One day, the farmer’s young son was riding one of the newly arrived horses.  Suddenly, he fell from the horse, breaking both of his legs.  The villagers arrived quickly to console the farmer.  They said, “We are really sorry for you.  It is such a curse that your only son has now been handicapped.”

The farmer calmly replied, “It is true that my son may be handicapped, but we cannot say whether it is a curse or a blessing because nobody knows exactly what will happen on tomorrow.”

At that point, the villagers got really angry, and shouted, “This farmer has no sense at all!”

After a few months, the king of a neighboring country attacked the farmer’s homeland, and his country seemed to be losing the battle.  In an effort to win, the king mandated that all young men join the army and fight against the enemy.  His royal summons excluded handicapped persons.

The villagers were all in terrible grief since their sons were required to join in the battle.  They thought of the possibility that they might never see them again.  So they walked to the farmer’s house and said, “You are a very blessed man.  At least you know that you son will remain alive.”

But the farmer calmly replied, “I am certainly happy my son will not fight in this war, but we cannot say whether it is a curse or a blessing because nobody knows exactly what will happen on tomorrow.”

The wise old farmer gave that same, calm, balanced reply for the rest of his life. 

What can we glean from the farmer’s life-story?  That it is expedient for every believer to maintain balance and perspective, regardless of prevailing circumstances.  One divine truth that produces hope and peace is simply this: GOD IS ALWAYS PRESENT, significantly and substantively, in the lives of His sons and daughters. (Psalm 46:1) Therefore, we will never surrender to doubt or despair – for we know that, wherever we are, JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH is there!  My friend, make up your mind, TODAY, to cast all your cares upon HIM, knowing that He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK!

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK!

We are born with the foundational longing to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  God created us that way because we are fundamentally bigger and better when we exist in communion with Him and in community with our fellows.  This intrinsic human need is the reason why psychologists pen endless tomes about group dynamics.  Point to Ponder: Are the GROUPS you belong to (family, faith, career, neighborhood, nation) BETTER OFF as a result of your membership and participation?

Sanjeev Kumar Singh amended the familiar classic story, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” to make an important point about how we may potentially survive, thrive, succeed, or fail based upon our motives and interactions with one another.  Read and consider:

Do you remember that famous race between the Tortoise and the Hare?  We all know that at the end of that story the Rabbit (Hare) was not able to win the race against the Turtle (Tortoise).

Well, that was actually not the end of their story.  After a disgraceful loss to the Turtle, the Rabbit decided to have at it again.  He determined not to stop and take a nap this time.

The race started and soon the Rabbit was far out of the sight.  This time he didn't stop, so he defeated the Turtle by a huge margin.

The Turtle lost the race that time.  However, he didn’t give up.  He challenged the Rabbit again on a different racetrack.  The Rabbit, full of confidence, accepted.  He knew the reason he had lost the first race, his laziness and decision to stop along the way.  He was able to win the second race because he had honestly examined and corrected himself.

The Third Race started.  As usual, the Rabbit soon disappeared.  Everyone was laughing at the Turtle, but the Rabbit didn’t want to stop to see why and kept on running as fast as he could.  He wanted to defeat the Turtle by a much bigger margin than the earlier race.  But suddenly, he came to a river.  He was not able to cross it and was stopped in his tracks.

After a long time, the Turtle reached the river and confidently stepped into it.  He swam in water much faster than he could ever run on land.  Within no time, he crossed the river and moved towards the finish line.  As the Rabbit watched helplessly, the Turtle won the race.

But the story does not end here.  They decided to meet and reflect on their actions.  Together, they came to the following conclusions.  After the first race, the Rabbit learned he had lost because of his laziness.  After the second race, the Turtle learned he had lost because his opponent was better at running.  After the third race, the Rabbit learned that being fast is not enough; one must have brains as well to successfully complete the task.

So the Rabbit and the Turtle decided to run the course again.  This time, however, they would be running as a TEAM, and not in a competitive race.

The Rabbit put the Turtle on his back until they reached the river.  Once they needed to cross the river, the Turtle put the Rabbit on his back.  After crossing the river, the Rabbit again put the Turtle on his back and both reached the finish line in less time than ever.

What did they learn that day?  With teamwork, both could complete the race quicker and both could enjoy the reward.  TOGETHER.  During the time they were competing against one another, just one was able to prevail.  WIN-WIN SITUATIONS are always preferable…always! 

I love Mr. Singh’s story because SYNERGY is an indispensable component of TEAMWORK.  That is, the end result of TEAM EFFORT is always greater than the sum of the individual parts or members of the team.  SYNERGY means 1 + 1 = 3.  It sounds like NEW MATH, but it is actually an ANCIENT EQUATION FOR SUCCESS.  Think.  The KINGDOM OF GOD was never designed to be a competitive course, as some might frame it.  Rather, it is a divinely orchestrated opportunity – offering eternal life to all believing and receiving humanity.  We are always better, bigger, bolder, brighter and more beautiful when we are working TOGETHER.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

LIFE WISDOM

LIFE WISDOM

When we KNOW better…we DO better.  With that in mind, read the following bite-sized nuggets of WISDOM.  In the process, carefully and prayerfully evaluate yourself because the unexamined life is not worth living.  All of us can grow stronger and wiser by the rigorous intake and application of practical wisdom, without experiencing the pains or setbacks others have endured while they learned lessons in THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS.  Carefully consider.

Cheerfully give people more than they expect.

Don’t believe all you hear; don’t spend all you have; don’t sleep all you want.

When you say, “I love you,” really mean it.

Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.

Love deeply and passionately; it’s the only way to live life fully.

In disagreements, fight fairly; no bringing up the past.

Don’t judge people by their looks or by their relatives.

Talk slowly; think quickly.

Great love and great achievements often involve great risk.

If your Mom and Dad are still alive, call and see them often.

Whenever you seem to lose, never devalue the lesson learned.

Respect yourself; respect others; take responsibility for your actions.

Don’t let a little dispute destroy a good friendship.

Take immediate steps to correct your errors.

When you say, “I’m sorry,” mean it.

Marry someone you love to talk to since eventually that skill will be more important than any other.

Spend quality time with yourself; you deserve it.

Read and memorize The Word.

Read more books and watch less television.

Be open to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Learn to read between the lines. 

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live an honorable life.  When you retire and reflect, you’ll enjoy it a second time.

Trust in God but lock your house and car.

A loving atmosphere is vital; be sure to have a happy home.

Be gentle and kind to your Creator’s earth.

Mind your own business.

Once a year, try to go somewhere you’ve never been.

Help others.  It is prosperity’s greatest reward.

Not getting what you want is sometimes an awesome blessing.

The best relationship is one where love is greater than need.

Judge your success by what you give up to gain and retain it.

Share your knowledge to live a longer and more fulfilling life.

Your character is your destiny.

Pray often to tap into immeasurable power.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!