Long ago as an a outside salesman, I was forced to do business on the
customer’s turf. With no store for them to come to, I had to go to them.
Instantly putting me and other salespersons at a disadvantage, you met on their
terms, on their time, and if they wanted to. You quickly learned about the
person you were calling on by the pictures on their desk, calendar on the wall,
or quotes on the desk. Some were entertaining, in a bus barn the sign said
“some people are only alive because it is against the law to kill them.” And how
was your day? In one office where my brother in law was an exec, it had
scriptures quoted on the wall. When I mentioned my BIL was a Christian, the
receptionist was quick to reply, “well you would never know it.” Oops. Many
patriotic themes, always my favorite, and one other laced with truth about
family. “The true measure of success is how your kids describe you to their
friends.” Let that one sink in for a minute. But my all time favorite, some
times making a call just to read it again, was in an old machine shop. Written
with magic marker on old poster board and stained with the oil that filled the
air, it simply read, “IGNORANCE IS CORRECTABLE, STUDIPY IS FOREVER.” Now read
it again and see if you catch the meaning. There is no word stupidy, I always
wondered did they mean stupidity, or did it on purpose to catch the
unsuspecting, or those with a public school education? But the simple truth is
ignorance is correctable, but stupidy, or stupididy is forever. We all know of
an example or are one.....
With over two dozen cross country motorcycle trips under my belt, and
13,000 miles and 31 states this year, I should know a little about traveling.
Yet two guys I know took off across country this year and never asked me for
directions. One guy, really stupidy, allowed his ride to take him on freeways
across the US of A and missed America. Doing everything wrong about packing, he
still made it, proving stupidy may be forever, but not necessarily life
threatening. You just miss out on all the good stuff. All the blessings.
Another guy short on cash and common sense goes south from San Diego to go to
New York, even going to Niagara Falls, but missing the Cave of the Winds.
Taking 40 and 44 across and not knowing it was shadowing Route 66. “I wondered
what those signs meant.” We each travel differently, but we don’t always travel
smart. I fall back on something an old friend once told me about a town on his
Coca Cola route. The town of Egnar, range spelled backwards, was his turn
around point. When he found out Egnar is range spelled backwards, he told me “I
could tell those people were ignorant the first time I went there.” But were
they correctable.....
Agent Mulder will tell you “the truth is out there,” but only the Bible
tells you Jesus is the truth. With so many writing their own personal gospels,
I wonder if ignorance is correctable, but fall back on a loving and forgiving
God. Who also believes the so-called brains of the theologians who twist his
word and words and end up with denominations who denounce him and his deity. We
are told to be wise as serpents, but gentle as lambs, we are often as stinging
as serpents and stupid as lambs. Trusting all we hear quoted as scripture to be
scripturally accurate, when it is not. Much good advice or advice that sounds
good is given, so we must be on guard. I warn you here, check what I write for
scriptural accuracy, and if it fails let me know. Let God be truth and all
other liars. But the enemy is still fighting a good fight, Jesus goes him one
better.
When Nehemiah was facing his enemies and those of God, when fearing for his
life, he had a man who was questionable because of his background offer him
advice. He is told men are trying to kill him, sounds logical, but then is told
to go into the temple and hide. You will not be attacked there. Sounds good,
but Nehemiah resists, knowing only priests are allowed into the temple,
something here is wrong, for he is only a layman and not permitted. He realizes
a true profit from God would not tell him to do something not scriptural, he can
flee into the area outside but not in the temple itself. Even so far as being
told to lock himself inside for protection. But the way Nehemiah questions the
advice is good advice for us, “should a man like me run and hide and try to save
himself by ungodly practices?” Have you ever had to ask yourself that? Would
you?
When we come to Christ we are given his holy spirit, opening the door to
instant and eternal access to God. We have all the wisdom of the universe at
our disposal, to guide, protect, enable, and empower us. We have the truth, not
opinions to fall back on. As a child of God we have these things to fall back
on, we operate on a different, a higher level, not to brag, but to live. If you
remember who you are in Christ, you will not go along when pressured into things
you know are wrong. You can live like an old Roger Corman film, “The Beast with
a Thousand Eyes,” who sees life through everyone’s eyes, or you can see things
through one set of eyes, God’s, and see everything. You will be called narrow
minded, but only by those who deny God. Stupdiy defined.
So as Christians we need to follow the heartbeat of God. We need to trust
the truth of who Jesus is and be led by his spirit. Or be known as ignorant,
unwilling or undecided, not changing but making excuses. Ignorance is
correctable, we all fell short of God until he opened our eyes to the truth.
But sadly stupidy is forever, as many deny Jesus and go to hell. Their choice,
not God’s. Scripture tells us the Jews still look for signs of their messiah
returning. Jesus has come and gone, and will return again, if you missed him
the first time, you will really do not want to miss him the second. Maybe the
true definition of success is how your life and words reflect Jesus in them.
And why some are asleep, or should be put there. Ignorance is correctable,
proven by God’s love for us. Only the stupidy deny him. No matter how you
spell it, it means hell. And the truth will always set you free. And those in
Christ are free indeed!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com