Wet Willy

Jessica and I were playing around the other day. She thought she was big enough to give her dad a wet willy (Sticking a wet finger in my ear). I said, "Jessica, you know how this is going to end. I am not going to get a wet willy and you are going to get hurt." That was not a deterant. She continued to try to stick her wet finger in my ear. Ten minutes later my words became true. Jessica was laying on the ground hurt and my ear was dry. It seemed that the warning was not enough. It took my words actually happening for her to learn. I call this the pain approach to knowledge; pain is required to learn something.

Having three children with different personalities helps me to understand that not everyone learns the same way. Jeremy is a kid that will normally just do what he is told. Not always the first time, but usually the words of his father are enough to move him to action. Jessica needs to find out for herself that what she is being told is right. She often learns through the school of hard knocks. Jenna just does what ever she sees her brother and sister doing. She examines the situation and makes a decision according to what bubby or sissy are doing. Of the three, my personal preference is Jeremy who just does what I tell him. It seems like the consequences of his life are less because he simply follows directions. Jessica, on the other hand, learns things the hard way and ends up with some bumps and bruises along the way. Jenna has the possibility of taking the wrong advice from the wrong person.

As you begin this New Year reading the word of God, you may read with the mental framework of Jeremy, Jessica, or Jenna. Maybe you will believe what you read because the Word says it. Maybe you will believe or not because you have life experience, or maybe you will believe or not because a so called expert tells you what is correct. It is interesting that Luke gives us the reason why he wrote this Gospel. He says to Theophilus that he wrote these things, "So that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." (Luke 1:4) Now we don't know who Theophilus was or even where he was from. But evidently, Theophilus was questioning whether or not the things he had been taught about Jesus were true. Maybe he had heard rumors or even gotten his hands on an early manuscript of Mark or Matthew. But were these words true? Should he believe what he had been taught? Furthermore, how would he live because of the things that he knew?

We don't know how the mind of Theophilus worked but we probably can figure out our personality. As you read the word of God this year: you will either read it and believe because it is the word of God, read it and wait until you experience something that will cause you to believe it, or read it and follow what someone else tells you. There are probably many other options but these are the ones that affect me the most. People come into my office facing problems or needing guidance many times a week. Some of them hear the word of God and change their behavior. Others hear the word and run it through their personal experience to determine what they want to do. And some just follow the direction that I give or the advice of someone else. Can I say that I get the greatest joy out of seeing someone who hears the words of scripture and takes it at face value because it is God's word. Usually, these people walk out with great joy and a changed life. Those who need experience to believe are often frustrated because God's word does not match up with their past. They have no reference point and often have a difficult time making changes because of experience. Finally, there are some who just follow someone else's advice. My words, the words of their family, or the words of a co-worker are what will impact them. They will make their decision based upon who they think has the best advice. Sometimes the advice takes them toward God and sometimes the advice takes them further into pain and suffering.

Someone once said, "God said it, I believe it, and that is enough!" I wish that is the way that it worked for everyone. But maybe this year we can all strive to follow this statement as we read God's word. What would happen if we actually tried living by the written word of God? How would our lives be different if we just did what God said? Lots of people like to argue about the written word; my plan is to follow it. I want to take what I read this year and apply it to my life. So let me challenge you to try it first. Before you get the advice of a friend or family member, before you experience the opposite and find out that the word is correct, before you follow the wrong person down the wrong road, why not live by the word first. Try living by what you read and see how your life is changed. Maybe, just maybe, you will have the best year ever.

In His Love,
Pastor Aaron