Before he was Rockford, James Garner was Maverick, a slick, hustling, card
player, who always just made it out of town in time for next week’s show.
While playing, he was always offering sage advice to those who would listen,
starting with “my Pappy says...” and then reciting some real gems. Sayings that
were funny, and somehow based on truth, if he was writing the rules. A few
were:
“Work is for killin’ time, but a shaky way to make a living.” “A man does
what he has to do-if he can’t get out of it.” “If at first you don’t succeed,
try something else.” “Man’s the only animal you can skin more than once.”
“Marriage is the only game of chance I know where both people lose.” “The only
thing more important than money is more money.” “If you haven’t got something
nice to say about a man, it’s time to change the subject.” And he wonders why
with such wisdom, why he was always in trouble. Some rules may work on the
street, maybe once or twice, but no way to live life. Yet we all have certain
rules or codes we live by, and they always seem to benefit us first. Of course,
since they are our codes, why not? But of course, we need to take another
course, or pay the price, which often times we cannot. Which makes me wonder,
why do the dumbest people say the coolest things that don’t work?
After sitting through my millionth Bible study where they dissected the
verses word by word, and letter by letter, I knew where Jesus was standing when
he spoke, what the was wearing, what he had for lunch, and who his next
appointment was with. I knew all about the man the teacher was talking about,
if I saw him in a crowd I may even recognize him, but I didn’t know him. I may
have even heard his words, but if I didn’t know him I may just dismiss them as
cool sayings. But when I know he is God, that he is who he says he is, then his
words make sense. When I know who he is, then I understand why he came, and his
words make a difference. Education today gives us more information than we can
ever use, we just lack in the application. Of knowing what to say, when to say
it, and what it means. Only by the spirit he has given us will we ever know.
Take one line for instance, “you are a new creature in Christ, behold the old
has passed away.” Looking in the mirror I see the same old face, where is this
new man? And so we start to doubt, and maybe Maverick’s words are true, if we
don’t succeed with Jesus, we go somewhere else. Ever been there, know anyone
who has? With the advice given to just spend more time in the word, the pastor
or counselor has successfully passed the buck, sometimes we just need to be
heard, we have real answers, someone to pray with, and it seems there work is
for just killin’ time. Ours.
The time when all good Christians wore WWDJ wrist bans, “what would Jesus
do?” has fortunately passed. But what if you were asked what would Jesus do?
Would you know? As a Christian you shouldn’t have to ask, how many have become
part of an argument because they didn’t know and when cornered their pride
exploded? Know all the answers, maybe like a Bible teacher I know who is
referred to as “the Bible man,” you haven’t heard all the questions. He
studied so hard to be approved his approval rating went down when he was
confronted, if you are the fastest gun, you better be when drawn down on. Or
like a camper who was asked, “do you think you could outrun a bear?” He
answered, “no but I just have to run faster than the guy I’m with.” Such
love....
Here are some scriptures I never hear quoted for instance. Ever hear a
successful man on the way up quote “it’s all gonna burn anyway?” Or a teacher
tell you “knowledge puffs up?” It’s like a friend who used to witness based on
the four spiritual laws tract, going through them one by one taking a long time
to do it, and wondering why his evangelism failed. And getting upset when I
joked “spirit and law, aren’t they at odds with each other?” Then he was at
odds with me, it was my fault. I guess I need more teaching. He really didn’t
like my answer to the Roman’s Road...it’s in Rome, right? But yet we go out and
try being a Christian on our own, thinking we can do it alone, neglecting to
take Jesus with us. When we really just have to let the old man, the old us
die, and leave it to Jesus. With no apologies to Beaver.
Today church’s, denominations, ministries, and other well meaning Christian
spend time coming up with ways to share the gospel. They spend more time
planning and less on delivering the message, rehearsing until they know the
lines, then blowing them when their audience is reading from another script. If
only they had trusted the spirit to give them the words or to keep them
quiet....but they just had to answer, then argue, then walk away defeated.
Blaming God, because they believe it is his fault. Unless God builds the
church, they labor in vain. Vanity is a shaky way to make a livin’, or to be a
Christian. So we need Jesus, we couldn’t save ourselves from hell, what makes
you think you can get by in the same world without him? If he can save your
soul, don’t you think he can rescue your day? Or was Mary Richards the only one
“who could take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?” Do we
know Jesus, or do we just know about him? Is God just 10 Commandments that no
one can memorize, or one, like Jesus gave, “love God with all your heart, and
love your neighbor the same.” Putting God first makes a difference, how
different do you want to be? Or is it time to just change the subject? Maybe
it is time to get to know the man you know so much about, to have that same man
come alive via eh spirit he has given you. It’s time for lovin’, so we can
start livin’?”
So try what I asked the Bible answer man to do, let Jesus start your prayer
today. The spirit knows what you need, and let him be Lord and lead. It isn’t
what you know but who you know that gets you in, and when you know Jesus, you
have all the wisdom, of the universe available to you, and the knowledge of when
to use it. Maybe Maverick’s Pappy was right, if it at first you don’t succeed,
try something else. Make that someone else other than you, let Jesus be that
someone else. Be that new creature, don’t look for the old one you used to be,
and watch as you grow in grace. As you love, you forgive, as you forgive, you
trust, and as you trust, you no longer wonder what would Jesus do, you know, and
your actions show it. My Pappy, my father in heaven loves me so much that if I
was the only sinner he still would have sent his son to die for me. Don’t be
the man who gets skinned more than once. One more quote by “my Pappy,” “a
coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero only one.” Is Jesus your hero? Scripture
tells us we are to die to self, who are you dyin’ to? Who are you dyin’ to
meet? Jesus did what he had to do because he wanted to, he leaves the final
choice up to us. What does your Daddy say about that? What do you say?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com