How Muddy is too Muddy

Every kid should have the opportunity to grow up in a carefree, happy-go-lucky environment without all the troublesome things that they have to worry about in today’s society. 

Things were different when I was a lad.  There wasn’t the fear of being physically abused or harmed in any way, and parents did not fret over someone abducting their child.  It just didn’t happen where I grew up. 

Martinez, California, a small bedroom community near San Francisco, was a tranquil place where a person could enjoy a stress free life without all the woes that we hear so much of today.  Respect for the law and the rights of others were valued and a principled way to live—a code of ethics as it were. 

Today’s moral and ethical values are crumbling quickly.  I believe it is because of the lack of parental guidance and the absence of a male figure in the home and the filth being shown on computer screens and television shows—morality is swiftly being eroded. 

The news media glorifying crimes and mayhem to get higher ratings is also lending to the tearing down of ideals in our country.  How sad it is that disorder is the theme of most reporters, because bad news and smut sell.

In my youth, marriage was a sacred and meaningful union between a man and woman; divorce was seldom the answer.  It was for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part.  I am afraid that too many people enter marriage with the idea that if it doesn’t work, they’ll go their separate ways.  What about the children?

On a less solemn note, the word television was not in my vocabulary as a child.  We didn’t have one in our home.  In my household, a bible had its rightful and just place on the coffee table in the living room, not gathering dust, but being read frequently by my parents. 

I knew the power of prayer when Dad asked Jesus to heal me when I was sick.  At night, from my bedroom, I could hear Dad praying for our needs and the needs of others before he went to sleep.  I was raised to have confidence in God that He would help me in every situation of life and that He loved me very much. 

Songs filled our home day and night about the love of Jesus.  I can still hear my mom singing them.  She loved Jesus and wanted me to learn of His love and to follow Him as well… which brings me to today’s thought and the title above, “How Muddy is too Muddy.” 

I guess I could have titled this writing, “Discipline” because Mom and Dad believed and taught the meaning of obedience to their four children, to have respect for elders and authority over us, which involved an occasional talking-to or the paddling of my behind—“A trip to the woodshed,” as my dad would say.  Never was he excessive or abusive.  It was to teach me that there are consequences for my ill-mannered behavior.

I was a typical kid that loved to romp and play and do the things that kids do at this age.  No one had to teach me how to get dirty.  It was an everyday occurrence, a fact of life when growing up and playing with my buddies around the neighborhood. 

I must say, Mom was not happy when I mixed water and dirt together to make a wonderful concoction called, mud.  It was the creativity of resourcefulness and ingenuity of mixing two components together to blend just the right consistency to make mud pies, mud balls, and mud-walled forts that protected my toy, army men from impending dangers that lurked outside the walls.

When boredom raised its ugly head, my friends and I did what most venturous kids do.  It started with a very small amount of mud being slung.  Not that much, but just enough to set the mood for the next few minutes of fun in the sun. 

Mom wasn’t around, and yes, I was just an innocent by-stander that just got in the way somehow.  The small amounts of mud turned into an all-out mud fight.  The consequences of my actions were far from logical thinking at that moment as a blob of mud hit my cheekbone and splashed into my eye and open mouth, which left me vulnerable when washing it out with the garden hose. 

The taste of mud was unpleasant and gritty between my teeth.  The odor was unsavory and gross.    Splat…this time an earful of the brown, gushy mud filled my right ear, affecting my ability to hear.

You know how boys are.  They don’t know when enough is enough.  With filthy, mud-splattered trousers and shirt, and hair a different color now, I wondered how muddy is too muddy?  What would Mom say? 

If we would have been happy throwing small amounts of mud, I probably would not have worried so much about getting in trouble.  Things went south in a hurry and the consequences for my actions hung over my head like a dark cloud, unless I could hide it someway from Mom.

It wasn’t so much that she had to work harder to get my cloths clean in her old, Maytag, ringer washer, and hang them on the backyard cloth line to dry, Mom was worried about my eyesight and eardrums being injured.

Grabbing the garden hose, I frantically started hosing myself off in hopes of getting rid of the telltale evidence before she saw me.  The mess was not as messy as it was, but the stain was there.  What now?  What should I do?  I guess I would have to face the music anyway.  I wish I had it to do over.  I’ll tell her that it was the other guy’s fault that I got so muddy.  Yeah right, that will go over like a lead balloon.

How many times do we fail, as adults, to give thought to the things we watch on television, thinking that we are mature enough to deal with the violence, language, sexually explicit innuendoes, and the immoral overtones that writers and directors purposely put in their movies?  It leaves stains in our subconscious that are hard to get out once embedded. 

What we allow to enter our eye and ear gate can, in time, affect the taste in our mouth and having the smell of dirt.  Our words and actions surprise us at times and we ask ourselves, “Where did that come from?”  If we think it through, we will know.

Years ago, being a new Christian, I was trying to live for Christ by doing and saying that which pleased God.  I remember one day at work backing into a piece of steel rebar that was sticking out of the forms that were erected for an upcoming concrete pour.  You would have thought I had committed the unpardonable sin when I blurted out, “Damn it!”

I felt bad and immediately asked God to forgive me.  It wasn’t so much the word that offended me; it was the thought of displeasing God.  How often do we get into situations that we wish we had a do-over?  It was that kind of feeling. 

Are the words we use or the things we do pleasing to God?  Do they bother us as much today as they may have in the past?  If not, we better take note of the things we are feeding our subconscious through the eye and ear gate.  They are becoming injured, which will affect the whole body.  What we do and say can influence others.

We are in a sad state of affairs if we think we are okay, but when we ask ourselves are we as close to God and sensitive to His voice as we once were, and the answer comes back, “No.”  We need to do something about it before we are engulfed with indifference.

When we let down our spiritual guard and allow a small handful of mud to find its mark, perhaps our eyesight and hearing becomes affected like the shirt and pants in the story.  In time if we allow the mud to increase, stains will be the negative result. 

How muddy is too muddy before we do something about it?  Are PG rated movies okay?  What about PG-13, or R, or X or XXX rated?  Where do we draw the line on garbage input?

A computer term is this: “Garbage in, garbage out.”  Our Christian responsibility is to strive to become more like Jesus rather than falling into condemnation, because of our willful, obstinate naughtiness behind closed doors. 

People around us observe what we do and say, but our children are taking note of how we live.  Do as I say, not as I do will shatter respect faster than quick can get ready. 

Actions speak louder than words.  We must be the example of a Christ-filled life, a light to show the way, like my parents were to me.  Believers are the seasoning that offsets the bad taste of mud that the world slings our way.

(Matthew 4:13-16), “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”  vs.14 “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”  vs.15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”  vs.16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

What Should I Do

Have you ever been in a quandary as to what to do next?  You felt like doing a certain thing, yet a prolonged struggle developed to do nothing.  I am not talking about being tempted to sin, because of bad behavioral issues with the flesh conflicting with God’s Spirit saying, “No.”  On the contrary, it is an inward clash of opposing wishes to do something for someone vs. not doing anything at all, because of embarrassment or fear.

Years ago, when I first became a Christian, God was teaching me how to hear His voice and respond to what He was saying.  It was not an audible voice; it was a strong feeling inside me, an out of the norm kind of feeling, to do something outside my comfort zone. 

I was sitting in church one Sunday evening and saw a person to my right and down a couple of pews, sobbing, with his head bowed low.  It was like the whole world was on his shoulders.  Empathy like I had never felt before welled up inside me and I wanted to go sit next to the man and offer some words of encouragement or pray for him.

I wrestled with the notion, thinking it was only my sensitive side reacting and not God speaking.  The longer I sat there the stronger the feeling to offer some kind of assistance caused my heart to pound hard in my chest.  But what would I say?  What would people think?  How would the person receive me?  Would it embarrass him?  All these questions and more filled my mind.

The moment I allowed apprehension to win and I decided not to respond to the call of God; another Believer arose, went over to the man, and began to minister God’s comforting words.  That hurting soul gave his heart to the Lord that evening and received Jesus as his Savior, because someone listened to God and obeyed His voice.

I missed out on a tremendous opportunity to introduce that man to the Prince of Peace, Jesus.  I was extremely happy for him, but felt miserable inside, because I failed to act upon the call.  God was giving me a chance to not only help someone in their time of need, it would have strengthened my relationship with Him.  My faith and spiritual awareness of the power of God working in me would have been greatly fortified had I yielded to what I was feeling.

It was a lesson that I have never forgotten.  I learned that when God wants something done, He uses willing souls to accomplish His work of grace.  Those that balk when invited to do His bidding will certainly have regrets later. 

When God-given emotions move within us to be His voice and we suppress it for whatever reason, and God chooses someone else to do the work, tears of regret will not bring back missed opportunities.  God’s program will continue with or without us.  But we can learn by our mistakes and do better the next time the Lord calls us to stand in the gap where we are needed—and He will.

It was a valuable lesson early on in my Christian walk.  I try to listen for His voice and act accordingly whenever He speaks.  I learned that most people respond in positive ways when kindness is expressed to them.  Few individuals reject a smile, words of encouragement, or someone taking the time to listen to their woes.

No doubt, there are those that will decline and rebuff an outstretched hand or kind words.  It has happened to me on occasion.  I had to realize it was their choice; I did my part in reaching out.  I believe that God will continue to strive with them through the efforts of other Christians and circumstances that will bring that soul to Christ. 

I have learned that when I look for opportunities to be God’s hand extended to hurting, oppressed people, or to someone that just needs recognition of some kind, God places me exactly where I can do the most good.  When I share about God’s goodness, I walk away encouraged in my spirit, because it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Try it, you will find it to be true.  You will feel the joy of giving.

(Proverbs 25:11), “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

A word of thanks or a token of appreciation given by slipping a few dollars to a cook at a fast foods restaurant, dishwasher, or the one cleaning tables and sweeping floors, always brings a smile to their face.  You acknowledged, with gratitude, their hard work.  Just showing others that you recognize their efforts is God’s voice and His hands extended.  A cup of cold water, as it were.

God sent His Son to show love, while ministering to people’s needs.  He died on a cross for the sins of mankind, because of love.  It is up to every Believer to spread this good news to those that are bound by sin; to tell them that they can be set free from bondage through Jesus Christ the Lord.

The responsibility associated with the gathering of lost souls, pointing them to Jesus, is a task that brings great rewards.  This process may come in stages before a person gives their heart to God.  It is like sowing seeds in a field.  Certain workers till the ground in preparation for the seeds; others sow the seeds; and there are those that water the seeds.  Finally the reaping of the harvest takes place, while everyone that took part rejoices.

We should not become discouraged if someone rejects our efforts to share the plan of salvation.  It is God that gently brings the increase and draws non-Christians to Him.  He is patient and knows each person’s need and how to meet their need. 

God has everything in control, but He has commissioned Believers to reach out to those that do not know Him.  It takes godly people working together and doing their part, while leaving it up to God to do the rest—like workers in the field.

This past Sunday morning I met a gentleman and his wife that were sitting in front of me before church service began.  Toward the last of the service, that same familiar voice began speaking to my heart.  I sensed that I needed to give the man one of my business-sized cards that has my blog website and other information on it.

Again, the conflict in my mind ensued—what should I do?  I knew if he visited my website he would be encouraged with God’s Word and my writings of hope.  I felt he needed something from the Lord.

At the end of the service I told him how nice it was to meet him and handed him the card, saying, “I want you to go to my blog and read it.”  He thanked me and said that he would.  Whether he does or doesn’t is up to him.  I did my part.

When we question, “What should I do,” it is better to be right in the eyes of God than to sit back and allow someone else to take part in the process of soul winning or being God’s hand outstretched.

(James 4:17), “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

No doubt there was a reason I gave him the card.  I just feel good that I did what I felt was needed at the time, whether the reason is ever revealed to me or not.  It is our reasonable service to be used of God.

(Romans 12:1), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

God will never ask us to do something that we are unable to do or that He has not prepared us for.  He will go before us and fight the battles.  We need not fear.

(Philippians 4:13), “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Let Faith Arise

The title of this writing expresses the essence of my thoughts for today.  Sadly, it is not too often that a remarkable awareness like the following experience takes place, but when situations or stimulating developments awaken the grey matter between my ears, the intensity to share it with others heightens to the point of joyful excitement .

First off, God wants and expects His children to exercise faith in everyday living.  By doing so, it keeps the vertical relationship with Him fresh, open and alive so that the horizontal plane with others can be more affective when sharing the goodness of Christ.  Introducing Jesus to hurting people that do not know Him as their Lord and Savior is the highlight of God’s commission to Believers. 

Faith and works go hand in hand.  Without it, it is like a missing heart with no place for blood to go.  Faith is at the heart of believing, and believing is faith unleashed and unfettered. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and to do the work that is expressly needed to be accomplished.  Rubbing shoulders with those around us is a sure way to distribute the good news that God loves them with a passionate, everlasting love.

I bought an eight inch round mirror for my wife this Christmas that magnifies 10x on one side and has a standard, reflective mirror on the other.  It was made to hang on a wall and is equipped with a three position switch that, when turned, provides variable intensities of light on both mirrors.  I mounted the unit on the wall next to one of the vanity sinks in our dressing room.

Previewing the mirror before installing, I saw two, very tiny plastic washers, clear in nature that went under two decorative, securing nuts that held the mirror’s arm to the bracket assembly that I attached to the sheetrock.

Having finished the preparatory work on the base, the only thing left to do was attach the movable arm of the mirror to the base with the two washers and decorative nuts—but where were the washers?  They were there a moment ago, but now they’re gone.

The washers were included to prevent scratching the chrome finish on the housing assembly as the nuts were being tightened to the two protruding screws of the base assembly.

I looked and I looked feverishly for the two, 3/8 inch diameter washers at nausea; praying to God for His help in finding them.  I even got my high powered flashlight to assist in the search.  They had to be there, but where?  I knew that God would come through for me and I’d see them at any moment.

Perhaps it was a test of my patience.  Was I going to have to install the mirror without the washers and scratch the finish on the chrome?  No, I felt strongly that God was going to help me find them; I just hadn’t seen them as yet.  I patiently continued the search.

Several minutes later the washers were still not found, but I did not give up hope.  Time was wasting, because I wanted to surprise my wife by having the installation completed by the time she returned from shopping.

I went to the kitchen for a glass of ice water, believing God would reveal where those rascals were.  I cannot explain how deeply the conviction was that I would soon find them.

I had looked in the vanity drawers, atop the vanity, on the little throw rug in front of the toe-kick of the vanity, and inside the bowls of each sink.  Upon my return from the kitchen, something on the rug reflected the ceiling light into my eyes.  Yes, it was one of the washers.  What were the odds that it would fall perfectly to reflect the light?  It was God!

I was happy to say the least, but deep inside, I somehow knew it would happen.  I continued to believe God for the other washer when something told me to look in the top drawer one more time.  I had looked twice already.  There it was!  Amazing!  How did I not see it before?

My simple faith held onto the notion that even though I could not see the washers, I believed I would.  This is a small example how faith works.  This extraordinary and wonderful victory of finding the washers touched my heart, which caused me to consider the importance of faith when praying.

I realized that when I pray for something, I should believe with everything in me that God not only hears my prayers, but He desires to bring them to fruition.  I recognized the significance of believing with the same fervency of faith that I had when looking for the washers, knowing that nothing is impossible with God.

Even though I could not see that which I was looking for, the hope of finding the washers was such that I believed God to reveal them.  This is faith, not a boatload of faith, but just enough faith to get the job done.  That’s all we need.  God will do the rest.  We would be amazed at the prayers answered if we trusted God, totally.

(Hebrews 11:1), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

A man was testing his own level of faith one evening when he looked out the bedroom window and demanded the mountain near his home to be cast into the sea.  He arose the next morning, looked out the window and saw the mountain in the same place it was the night before.  Unenthusiastically, he said, “Just as I expected.”

When we pray, we must pray expecting an answer, not like the man in the story.

(James 1:6-8), “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”  vs.7 “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;” vs.8 “he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

We need to encourage ourselves to believe that the Lord cares about the smallest things in our life—even two, tiny washers.  Jesus wants us to ask God, in faith believing, for the things we have need of.

(John 14:13-14), “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son”  vs.14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

When we let faith arise, we will be amazed at the closeness we feel to our heavenly Father.  We will experience His love as He pours blessing after blessing into our heart.  He indeed wants us to experience an abundant life through His Son, Jesus.  This comes as we walk by faith.

(John 7:38), “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

(Luke 11:9-13), “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  vs.10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”  vs.11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among  you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  vs.12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?”  vs.13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 

Written by,

Papa Boyd