Have You Seen the Gorilla Lately?

Story of the Day for Thursday November 19, 2015

Have You Seen the Gorilla Lately?

And while he was going. . . a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years . . came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment.

Luke 8:42-44

When I was growing up I didn’t have Attention Deficit Disorder, because it hadn’t been invented yet. In high school I was called “The Gaper” because my mouth, apparently, would hang open while I daydreamed in class. In my freshman year of college I won the “Neil Armstrong Spacey Award” because I was so . . . spacey.

When they finally got around to inventing ADD, I took a test from a licensed psychologist, and it turned out I had come down with a bad case of it.

Learning to focus your thoughts and goals is challenging for anyone. But it is especially difficult when your mind wants to wander down any side street it sees.

I have spent my adult life learning how to focus. But lately I have come to realize it is equally important to learn how not to be too focused, because when you get too focused you can’t see gorillas.

Psychologists from Harvard conducted an experiment in which they played a video of basketball players. Participants were told to count the number of times the ball was passed by the team wearing a certain color uniform. In the middle of the video, however, strange things happened. A woman with an umbrella or a man in a gorilla costume would walk through the center of the court and would be clearly visible for about five seconds.

A control group, who were not asked to count the number of times the basketball was passed, all saw the woman and the gorilla. But, for those asked to focus on the task of counting passes, only a third saw the woman. And, amazingly, the majority (56 percent), failed to notice the gorilla.

Jesus was a master at being focused and unfocused at the same time. When he “set his face” to go to Jerusalem to die, nothing could deter him. Yet, at the same time, he was open to notice the needs of people around him.

Jairus, a synagogue ruler, pleads with Jesus to come with him because his only daughter is dying. Jesus has a clear focus – he wants to help. In doing that, he ignores the crowds pressing in on him.

But, at the same time, he is open to one person who touches his tassel. “Who touched me?” he asks. Peter is dumbfounded by Jesus’ question, and helpfully points out that many people are touching him. They are, in fact, mobbing him. Yet, Jesus is aware that one person in the crowd was different.

That day, Jesus did two miracles. One, because he focused on a goal; the other, because he was sensitive to the unexpected.

How do you do both at the same time? I don’t know. But I know it’s worth learning.

(copyright 2012 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

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Get Out of the Boat

Story of the Day for Tuesday September 15, 2015

Get Out of the Boat

“When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them, ‘Take courage. I AM. Do not be afraid.’

‘Lord, if it is you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’

‘Come,’ he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat. . .”

Matthew 14:26-29

http://calvaryaghackettstown.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Get-out-of-the-boat-Web-Square-608×608.jpg

Most of us have had the fear of failure ingrained in us. We view failure as something to be avoided at all costs.

But our fears are based on a limited truth. There are situations in life where failure means disaster. As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you.”

But there are other times where we must learn to embrace failure as the inevitable process of growing. Every musician knows that, in order to master their instrument, they must be willing to fail, and to repeatedly play wrong notes in order to learn. Any basketball player knows that they will miss many more shots than they make before they begin to refine their shot.

There is, of course, a way to avoid failure. You will never hit a wrong note, you will never strike out – if you never pick up an instrument, if you never step up to the plate and swing.

When Jesus came to his disciples walking on the water, only one of them failed. Peter made the offer that he, too, would walk on the water if it was truly Jesus calling him.

It was.  And he invited him to come.

You know what happens next: Peter begins to walk on the water toward Jesus, but then he diverts his attention to the power of the storm and height of the waves, and begins to sink.

How does Jesus respond to his doubt? He grabs his hand and lifts him back up out of the water. Peter had no reason to doubt, but when he failed, Jesus was there for him.

In 1899, Teddy Roosevelt, in a speech to the Hamilton Club in Chicago, said:

It is not the critic who counts, not the person who points out where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the devotions, and spends himself or herself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his or her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.

Peter may have failed. But at least he was the only one willing to climb out of the boat and try.

(copyright 2010 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

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Breathing Holes

Story of the Day for Monday April 27, 2015

Breathing Holes

And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good to be here. Let’s make three tents . . .

Mark 9:5

In October, 1988, an Alaskan Eskimo discovered three gray whales who were drowning. Surrounded by Arctic ice, the whales punched out a small breathing hole, but it was quickly icing over. The Eskimo returned with others who wielded chainsaws and pick axes to cut a series of holes in order to lead the whales back to open water.  The work was exhausting, but their story was picked up by the national news. Soon, oil companies and the military were donating equipment to help free Bonnet, Crossbeak, and Bone – the names given to the three whales. By creating a series of breathing holes, the rescue teams eventually led the whales to open water.

When we are overwhelmed by the pressures of life, have you noticed how we often speak of “drowning”? We need “breathing holes.” If you don’t take regular time to come up for air you will starve your soul of oxygen and other people will notice that your lips are turning blue.

A breathing hole is any way that you can find quiet and refresh your soul. Where you can pray, and ponder, and let God’s love wash over you to cleanse you and heal your wounds.

Those who worked to make breathing holes for the gray whales noticed that the whales were bleeding. The ice on the sides of the hole was so jagged that the whales were cutting themselves when they tried to come up for air. The smallest whale, Bone, eventually tore all the flesh off his snout and died.

Can I ask you something? Is your “breathing hole” jagged around the edges? I have seen people who go to worship or read books for a breath of fresh air, but come away bloodied with guilt. Don’t get me wrong – sometimes, conviction of sin and rebuke are necessary. But remember this: the Good News of Jesus is always exactly that – GOOD news.

Our first priority is to find breathing holes with smooth edges. But, our second priority is to leave them.

The rescuers made a series of breathing holes, but the whales didn’t want to move from the one they were at.

Neither did Peter.  Standing on a high mountain with James and John, he saw Jesus shine with a glory greater than the sun. This moment was so awesome, that Peter wanted to stay, and offered to build shelters up there on the peak.

The shelters were never built. To love and serve a hurting world, they would have to go down the mountain.

Breathing holes are not meant to escape from the hectic demands of life, but to re-enter the fray with a lungful of fresh air.

(copyright 2012 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

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The True Danger of Spiritual Pretending

Story of the Day for Tuesday March 10, 2015

The True Danger of Spiritual Pretending

 

  A man by the name of Ananias, along with his wife Sapphira, sold some property.  But, with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back part of the money for himself, and brought the rest and laid it at the apostle’s feet.    Acts 5:1-2

 

I have never liked this story.  It seems grossly unfair that, because they didn’t give all their money to the church, God killed them both.  Shouldn’t Peter have said, “Why, thank you so much!  What a generous offering.  God will bless you for this”?  Instead, they both wind up dead as a doornail.

If we listen carefully, however, we discover that the problem is not about giving money at all.  Peter tells them they didn’t have to sell the property, and after they did, they could do what they wanted with the money.

The problem was that they pretended to give all of the money from the sale of their property to the church (but secretly held some back for themselves).  They were lying to the church.

Hypocrisy is lying. We want to impress others and make them think we are more godly than we really are.  We love the admiration we get from this.  But deep down there is the fear that, someday, we will be exposed and the world will know that we are frauds.

Spiritual posturing is a dangerous cancer.  It’s also contagious.  If I pretend I’m holier than I really am, it puts pressure on those around me to pretend they are holier than they really are.  As long as the pretense works – we become insufferably self-righteous.  When we are exposed as frauds, then our hypocrisy becomes a stumbling block to others.

Tony Campolo, in his book, The Kingdom of God Is a Party, tells the story of a young man who turned his back on the church.  His little sister suffered much from cancer before she died.  His dad, a pastor, said there is no sorrow because she is in heaven.  So,  the whole family wore plastered smiles to show the world their great faith.

The night after the funeral, this young man went to the church and sat up in the balcony.   His father was unaware of his son’s presence. His dad walked to the front of the church and began to cry.  The crying turned to uncontrolled wailing.  Then his father looked up at the picture of Christ on the wall, shook his fist, and screamed, “DAMN YOU!”

When the son returned home that evening, there was his dad and family – all wearing their forced, artificial smiles.

I still don’t like the story about Ananias and Sapphira very much.  God’s punishment seems pretty severe.  But maybe that is how forcefully God had to act to impress on me the true danger of spiritual pretending.

(copyright 2012 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

(image: http://www.guychurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Lie-11-col.gif)

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“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”

Story of the Day for Wednesday January 14, 2015

“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”

When Barnabas and Saul completed their mission, they returned to Jerusalem — taking along John (who is nicknamed Mark).

Acts 12:25

When we open our Bible to read the Gospel of Mark, we should remember that John Mark was never one of the apostles. How is it that he is qualified to write an authoritative account of the life of Christ?

When the church was first born in Jerusalem, the Christians often gathered at John Mark’s home. When Peter was freed from prison, where did he go? To Mark’s home, and — sure enough — believers were gathered there.

Later, when Paul undertakes another mission trip, Mark is allowed to come along.  Years later, when Peter writes from Rome, he sends greetings from Mark, whom he calls “my son.” John Mark may well be one of the only believers mentored by both Paul and Peter.

In the late 60s, Glenn wanted to become a musician. He met Bob Seger, who was hugely popular at the time. Bob took him under his wing and mentored Glenn in the life of a professional musician. He let him sit in on his recording sessions. He even let Glenn play guitar and sing backup on his hit, “Ramblin’, Gamblin’ Man.”

Seger told Glenn that, if he wanted to make it in the music business, he would have to learn to write his own songs. “What if they’re bad?” Bob assured him they would be bad, but he would have to keep at it.

Glenn moved to LA to become a musician. He found a cheap apartment and then rented out his basement to another musician for $35 a month. Every morning Glenn would wake up to his friend, Jackson Browne, practicing in the basement. He would compose a verse and sing it over and over about twenty times.  After a short break, he’d hear his friend work on the next verse — over and over — for hours. Glenn hated getting woken up every morning to his friends composing, but he learned what it took to be a professional songwriter.

Meanwhile, Don, who flunked his only music class in college, was playing drums in a small-time band when he met the superstar, Kenny Rogers in Dallas. Kenny was so taken with Don’s enthusiasm that Don found himself living the next four months at Rogers’s home. Don eagerly soaked up all the expertise that Kenny Rogers shared with him.

Don and Glenn met each other and were asked to accompany Linda Ronstadt on her summer tour.

Don Henley and Glenn Frey would go on to form the Eagles — with their Greatest Hits album selling over 42 million copies. But they freely acknowledge their debt to all those who mentored them, and showed them how to succeed in the music world.

 Whether it’s learning to understand the Bible or play the guitar, I’ve always been amazed at how willing experts are to share . . . and how reluctant I am to ask. But I am slowly learning that all success is largely dependent on what we learn from others.  As Isaac Newton observed, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

(copyright 2015 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

(image: http://awesomelyluvvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants.jpg)

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Distill the Truth

Story of the Day for Monday August 18, 2014

Distill the Truth

 

. . .Our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”. . . However many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:18, 20

At church, I often park next to a red pickup, with a sticker that says: DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. “Well,” I think to myself, “what kind of a Christian truck is that?” But when I learned that the truck’s owner is a grandmother, her sheer spunkiness was inspiring. You go, grandma!

Let’s talk about bumper stickers. Now, I didn’t choose this Bible verse from 2 Corinthians because I have the slightest intention of explaining what Paul means by it, but because it summarized the fulfillment of all God’s promises by one word: “YES.” In Jesus, everything God promises is “YES.” That’s as pithy as it gets.

Bumper stickers have to be like that. You can’t blab. If your kid is an honor roll student at Westwood High, or if you visited Carlsbad Caverns, you have to get to the point.

Bumper stickers can also be used as a witness to Jesus – which is why I never use them – I’m not that good a driver. But, in addition to that, I’m a bit snooty about the whole thing. Bumper stickers are a little too simplistic for my refined sophistication. How can you fit the depth of God’s wisdom on a bumper sticker? I have scoffed at the shallowness of it all.

But I have repented.

Yes, the wisdom of God is deeper than anything that will fit on a bumper sticker. Nevertheless, I’ve discovered that, when you can state your goal or belief in a phrase short enough to fit on a bumper sticker, it is more helpful than complex formulations of faith. When I am lazy and want to veg out, “Carpe Diem” (“Seize the Day”) gets me going. On cold, gray mornings, when I don’t want to put snowshoes on and run the dogs up the mountainside, it helps to say “Just Do It.” When confronted with repeated failure, a friend taught me to say what Peter said to Jesus: “. . . nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the nets.” When I want to judge a fallen brother, I am aided by the phrase, “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Jesus habitually pushed the envelope by shocking and surprising people to get them to think about the kingdom of God. In my bumbling way, I want to do the same. But maybe finding spiritual edification in bumper stickers is going too far.

Maybe.

But think about it: if the biblical truth you want to ingrain in your life can be put in one phrase, it becomes a practical motivator. Something you can apply.

Listen to God’s Word. Then distill the truth down until you can . . . fit it on a bumper sticker.

(copyright 2012 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

(image: http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/msHM97tZTeIwtnlhHYjdibw.jpg)

 

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The Utter Joy of Suffering

Story of the Day for Wednesday August 6, 2014

The Utter Joy of Suffering

The apostles left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name.

Acts 5:41

A lot of people wear clothing of college and professional sports teams. Same here. But have you noticed that, when a team wins a championship, the number of people wearing clothes with that team’s logo jumps dramatically? We like to feel we are aligned with a winning team.

I admire, however, those undaunted individuals who display the logo for a losing team. If you wear, for example, a Detroit Lions sweatshirt these days, you are sure to get teased about it. Yet, some brave souls will resolutely bear the snickers and derisive comments. They have declared their loyalty and will not be swayed.

Sometimes, however, the stakes of loyalty are pressed much higher. In the book of Acts, people crowded into the temple in Jerusalem to hear the apostles. The chief priests were not amused and had them arrested. They were brought before the highest court, the Sanhedrin, and lectured by the high priest, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name.”

Peter and the apostles refused to renounce their loyalty to the name of Jesus. They all were given a sound flogging and warned not to speak “in the name of Jesus.”

When the apostles were released they were not upset by the injustice of their punishment, nor disappointed that God did not spare them from such extreme pain – in return for their loyalty. No, here they are, leaving the Sanhedrin and “rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer for the Name.”

If we grow careless, we can come up with the notion that our loyalty to the “the Name” should serve as a buffer against suffering. The Lord should be so honored that we have printed his team logo on our shirts, that, in gratitude, he will repay us by guarding us from persecution, torture, and in-grown toenails.

After their flogging, the apostles did not moan to God, “Lord! What did we ever do to you that you would treat us this way?” The apostles were elated to be considered worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name.

Does their celebration of severe suffering take you off guard? It does to me. And that is a sign that, deep in my heart, I expect that my loyalty to Jesus ought to be repaid by him with a life of comfort and ease.

Jesus said that, when we choose to wear his logo, we will have to pick up our cross and learn the life of sacrificial love. Our Lord had himself nailed to the cross so that his sacrifice would bring us the wonder of new life with God.

We can’t earn salvation by suffering. How can you earn something that has already been given to you? But the Bible says, that “for the joy set before him” Jesus endured the cross and scorned its shame. When we declare our loyalty to the name of Jesus, we too can begin to know the joy of the new life. The utter joy of suffering.

(text and photo copyright by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

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Leaping and Dancing

 

 

Story of the Day for Monday July 28, 2014

Leaping and Dancing

 

Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Acts 3:6

 

Doug Storer, in his book, Amazing But True Facts, writes about the sinking of the Dutch steamship, Tambora, in May, 1901. When the ship hit a reef and sank near a small island in the East Indies, the island natives rowed to the wreckage to salvage what they could find.

A Chinese merchant, who made regular trading visits, visited the area a few months later. The merchant met a native who wanted to buy a needle and thread and offered to trade a large fishbone for them. The Chinese trader had no interest in buying a fishbone, but the native was so insistent that the merchant finally agreed to examine the fishbone which the man had in his hut.

The native only had a fishbone to trade because, unfortunately, he arrived late on the scene of the sunken Dutch steamship and all the valuable items had already been taken. All he found was a box of brightly colored paper.

When the trader stooped into the man’s hut to see his fishbone, he could hardly believe what he saw: insulating his hut, the native had plastered $40,000 in Dutch banknotes to his walls.

One of the biggest challenges of life is sorting out the relative value of things. Bill Hybels, in his book, Honest to God?, cites a study in which college freshman, in 1967, were asked whether it was more important to be well-off financially or to discover a meaningful philosophy of life. The vast majority chose a meaningful philosophy of life. By 1986, however, eighty percent said it was more important to be well-off financially.

In Proverbs it says that God’s wisdom is more valuable than rubies. All the same, just about everyone would prefer to be foolish and wealthy – which (I must be stern here) – is foolish.

If you amass enough rubies you can buy cool stuff like a white truffle from Tuscany or a riding lawnmower. And God doesn’t have a problem with rubies. He really doesn’t. Material things only become a curse when we cherish them above gifts of greater value.

A beggar spotted Peter and John as they were entering the gateway into the temple. The beggar didn’t get what he wanted, but was given more than he could have dreamed. He was thinking about a fishbone but was about to discover the Dutch treasury.

A silver coin does have value, but not as much as the ability to leap and dance in the temple court.

(text 2011 copyright by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre) (image: http://www.clipartof.com  1117087 )

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Choosing a Focus

Story of the Day  for Tuesday June 17, 2014

Choosing a Focus

And climbing out the boat, Peter walked on the water and came to Jesus. But looking at the windblown waves, he became afraid and started to sink.

Matthew 14:29-30

 

In the midst of the storm, Jesus’ disciples cowered in fear – looking for safety in the boat. Peter, however, stepped overboard, and in the howling storm, looked for safety in Jesus.

And, as long as he looked to Jesus, he could do it. He shared in Jesus’ power over the storm. He was walking on water!

Everything depended on focus. Peter looked at the waves, and as he became alarmed at the fierceness of the storm, he started to sink.

Let me ask you: if a board is lying on the ground, twenty feet long and twelve inches wide, could you walk from end to end across it? Almost anyone could do it. But what if the board spanned two skyscrapers eighty stories high? Suddenly things change. We see the traffic so far below us. We panic and begin to totter.

The problem is not our balance; the problem is our focus.

Karl Wallenda is one of the greatest tightrope walkers of all time. One of his grandsons reminisced about how grandpa started him on the wire when he was only seven. His grandson said the most important lesson he taught him was to focus his attention on a point at the other end of the wire.

In his mid-seventies, Karl was performing in Puerto Rico when he fell to his death – not because of old age, or the gusty wind, but because of misconnected guy ropes along the wire.

But this story is, in the end, not about Karl, but rather is granddaughter, Rietta. At 17 years old, she was the only family member still performing with her grandpa. She watched in horror as her grandpa fell to his death. But five hours later, she was scheduled to perform in the Big Top in San Juan. She received a thunderous standing ovation, when, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she performed her stunts on the tightrope.

That’s focus.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make, as we seek to live as disciples, is to take our focus off Jesus, and look at the storm. If you focus on your troubles, they will always overwhelm you.

Raging waves can be high. But never as high as the One who rules the wind and waves. You can’t avoid the storms, but you can choose your focus.

And don’t ever forget: when Peter did lose his focus and started to sink, someone was there with a helping hand.

(copyright 2012 by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

(image: http://ampandpivot.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/get-focused.jpg)

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Even When We’re Right, We Can Be Wrong

Story of the Day for Wednesday May 7, 2014

Even When We’re Right, We Can Be Wrong

 

             “This man absolutely was with Jesus because he’s . . . a Galilean.”

Luke 22:59

 

 

Sometimes we’re wrong when we’re right.

As a group warmed themselves around a fire on a cold evening in Jerusalem, a servant girl recognized Peter as one of the followers of that man who had just been arrested and was under arraignment. Peter denied it, but another man concluded that Peter had to be a crony. Why? Because he had a Galilean accent.

The man’s prejudicial assumption was that anyone with a redneck Galilean accent must be a follower of that guy from Nazareth. Although he was right; he was wrong.

Sean Tuohy is a successful guy. At Ole Miss he was a basketball star – elected to the university’s Hall of Fame and still holding the SEC record for assists. The New Jersey Nets drafted him but he turned them down.

Sean now lives in Memphis where he, with his wife Leigh Anne, own over 85 franchise restaurants. Sean and Leigh Anne have co-authored a book. And, somehow, he also manages to find time to serve as a national broadcaster for the Memphis Grizzlies.

 

On a cold day near Thanksgiving, the Tuohy family drove past a black teen wearing only a T-shirt and shorts.

If you hold prejudices against blacks, this teen was capable of confirming them. He was shiftless and poor. His grade point average in school was 0.76, and his social skills were virtually non-existent.

The Tuohy’s, however, chose not to judge this young man, Michael, but to take him into their home. Gradually, they learned his story. He was one of 13 siblings – growing up in the poorest section of Memphis. He never knew his father, who was murdered while in prison. His mom was a crack addict, and so, from the age of seven, Michael fended for himself.  He attended eleven schools in nine years and lived in foster homes, with friends, or wandered homeless.

No one ever told Michael, “I love you,” until he was eighteen years old.

The Tuohy’s legally adopted Michael and gave him the opportunity to thrive. He raised his GPA to 2.52. He went on to attend college and managed to make the honor roll twice while playing football for Ole Miss.

And Michael Oher was also chosen in the first round of the NFL draft to play offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens.

Michael, given the chance, has blossomed. But so have the Tuohy’s. Their Christian faith has changed their judgmentalism to compassion. Leigh Anne grew up in at atmosphere of racial bigotry, but now she cries for the less fortunate. And, as for her husband, Leigh Anne says she married a man who doesn’t even know what color he is.

When we judge, even when we’re right; we’re wrong. We do a better day’s work when we simply take the time to care.

(copyright by climbinghigher.org and by Marty Kaarre)

(image:http://media.heavy.com/media/2013/02/alg-score-oher-family-jpg.jpg)   

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