Author: TomNorvell

Vol. 16 No. 18 | May 6, 2013

Luke records the story of Jesus healing a blind man in chapter 18,

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:35-43, NIV)

If you were blind what would you want God to do for you? That is what Jesus asked this blind man. “What do you want me to do for you?” Somewhere in the the depths of our soul we know how we would respond to that question. We may be reluctant to ask, we may be embarrassed to ask, or we may think God does not want us to ask, but if I am reading the story correctly, God wants us to ask.

Here are three lessons that seem to emerge from this story:

We all have that one request we want to make of the Lord.

“Lord, I want to see.”

“Lord, I want to hear.”

“Lord, I want to be healed.”

“Lord, I want to be a good parent.”

“Lord, I want to save my marriage.”

“Lord, I want to be able to help more people.”

“Lord, I want a job.”

“Lord, I want someone to love me.”

“Lord, I want to be forgiven.”

“Lord, I want peace.”

“Lord, I want to know I’m saved.”

“Lord, I want to make a difference in the world.”

“Lord, I want to really live again.”

We need to make the request.

Why not take a moment right now and present your request to the Lord. (Philippians 4:6-8) Get with a friend. Or, get alone. Get with God and lay it all out. Yes, He already knows before you ask. Ask anyway. Pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him what you want Him to do for you.

We need to praise God when our request is granted.

The blind beggar did. The people around him did. The blind man in John 11 did. The people around him did not. When He grants you the request thank Him, praise Him, share what He has done.

God is ready and willing to hear your request. And, He is ready and willing to grant your request in His time and His way. When He does, rejoice and praise Him.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 17 | April 29, 2013

What do you say to the man who, as he reflects on his long life and says, “Why did God bless me like He did?”

What do you say when you learn that a relative has inoperable cancer?

What do you say when you walk into your bosses office and he informs you that your position with the firm is being eliminated?

What do you say to the soldier when he returns home from the war and is haunted with the question of why he survived the attack but his buddies did not?

What do you say when the doctor tells you that she has your tests results and she would like for you to come to her office…and she suggests that your husband come with you?

What do you say when you learn that your wife has been having an affair for several months and she is not interested in working on your relationship?

What do you say when your best friend tells you that he and his wife are getting a divorce?

What do you say when your best friend reveals that the reason she has pulled away from you for the last several months is because she believes you betrayed her?

What do you say when your son tells you he is tired of living by your rules, is “taking off”, and really does not care what you think about his decision?

What do you say to the man who tells you he has messed up his life so completely that he feels he is better off dead?

What do you say to the woman who has been a “good and faithful servant” almost all of her life yet lives in fear everyday that she “has not done enough”?

What do you say to the young wife and mother as she walks away from the graveside of her husband faced with raising her children alone?

What do you say to man you have loved and admired for decades when he tells you that he tells you that he never feels that God is satisfied with his performance and that he does not think he can ever please Him?

What do you say to the teenage couple sitting in your living room confused, frightened, weeping because they have just learned that she is pregnant?

What do you say after another natural or man-caused disaster and people ask over and over again, “Why did this happen”?

What do you say to these people? What can you say?

Questions. We have more questions than answers, don’t we? Some have answers. Some may not. Some we may attempt to answer only to realize we had no business trying to answer them. Some we understand and can relate to, others we have no concept of what the person is going through.

A couple of lessons from Job’s story may be helpful.

Don’t say anything. Just be with the person.

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. (Job 2:11-13)

Sometimes the best answer is silence. It is still an answer. Unless you are confident you know for sure what God would tell the person, be quiet. Listen to them. Pray with them and for them. Allow them time to process the questions, the crisis, or the tragedy. There will be time to help them find answers, but for now don’t say anything.

Admit that you have no right to speak to such things.

Then Job answered the Lord: “I am unworthy — how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer — twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:3-5)Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you
 but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself
 and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)

For some reason we tend to think that life must be explained, that God must be explained, and we are responsible for coming up with the explanations. We tend to feel that God must be defended. We think God owes us an explanation. We sometimes assume that mystery is a bad thing.

The conversation between Job and God reminds us that God can handle His own defense, that He can explain His actions if He chooses to explain. Even when people are hurting, want answers, and look to us for answers, we as compassionate people naturally want to ease the suffering, but it still may be inappropriate for us to answer for God.

What do you say when life hits hard? What can you say? God may need you to speak, but unless you are absolutely sure, be content with being a silent presence.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 16 | April 22, 2013

What can you do when you have more “down” days than “up” days?            

What can you do when the clouds block your view of the sun day after day after day after day?
What can you do when you continue to take two steps forward then slide three steps back?

What can you do when the negatives in life are overpowering the positives in your life?

What can you do when the bills accumulate faster than the income does?

What can you do when day after day the “To Do” list is longer than your “Done” list?

What can you do when dreams have faded?

What can you do when you hope that life will get better is all but gone?

What can you do when you have more reasons to be afraid than reasons to trust?

What can you do when you feel paralyzed by fear?

What can you do when your sadness over the injustices of life begins to turn into anger?

What can you do when you see the more people you try to help the more people you meet who need help?

What can you do?

Start by reading Philippians 4:4-9.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

After reading that text from Philippians 4 try these suggestions:

Remember and remind others that The Lord is near. 

In the midst of trials, crisis, boiling tempers, and smoldering anger if you will pause and remind yourself “the Lord is near,” you will be amazed at how quickly attitudes can change. Gentleness will become the natural response. If you have to repeat to yourself: “The Lord is near.” “The Lord is near.” “The Lord is near.” Then, let your gentleness be evident to all.

Take all your fears and anxieties to The Lord.

“Present your requests to God.” Be honest with your feelings. Tell Him what you are thinking. Share your fears. Open up your heart to Him. If you are anxious, say, “Lord, I’m anxious.” If you are afraid, say, “Lord, I am afraid.” If you have a need, say, “Lord, please help me.”

Think about something else. 

“Think on these things.” Sometimes you just have to change the channel on the television, on the radio, or get off the Internet. Fold the newspaper and put it away. Quit watching the news. Think about good things. Think about pure things. Think about things that are excellent. It takes real discipline of the mind to change a direction of thought, but it will make a difference in how you see things, and how you respond to life.

What can you do? Remember you can do something. You are not helpless. You are not powerless. The world may seem to be crumbling around you, or the ground may feel like it is shaking beneath you, but the Lord is near, He will hear you, and give you peace.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2013. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 15 | April 15, 2013

After Jesus said these things, many of his followers left and stopped following him.

Jesus asked the twelve apostles, “Do you want to leave too?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, where would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe in you. We know that you are the Holy One from God.” (John 6:66-69, ERV)

The gospel song says, “Where could I go? Oh, where where could I go but to Lord?”

That was true for those disciples at that crucial moment in their lives and in the earthly ministry of Jesus, and it is still true today. Where would we go? Where can we go except to the Lord?

Where can we go to find words when we have no words worth speaking?

Where can we go to remind us to be silent when we want to be speaking?

Where can we go to learn how to love those people who are the hardest to love?

Where can we go to find and receive forgiveness when all we feel is shame, regret, and guilt?

Where can we go to find rest when we are washed-out, washed-up, and weary?

Where can we go to find peace when we are surrounded by crisis, chaos, and drama?

Where can we go to find hope when all around us is confusion, cynicism, and doubt?

Where can we go to be reminded of joy when all we are seeing is sadness and destruction?

Where can we go to find comfort when we have been hurt, rejected, and betrayed?

Where can we go to know we are not alone even though we feel extremely lonely and homesick?

Where can we go to find healing after we have been beat-up, beat-down, and beat-on?

Where can we go to find security when we feel lost, abandoned, and forgotten?

Where can we go when our minds are so full we cannot think, we cannot sleep, and we cannot find clarity?

Where can we go when our hearts are breaking, our dreams are fading, and all our plans are changing?

Where can we go when we are filled with fear, despair, and disillusionment?

Where can we go when life experiences have overwhelmed us, problems have devoured us, and pain has drained us?

Where? Where can we go? We can go to the Holy One of God because He has words of eternal life.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 14 | April 8, 2013

This article is about perspective.

From where I sit the sun is shining and spring is blooming all around. Bradford Pear trees are as white as snow. Cherry blossoms are beautiful. The grass in my lawn is growing and green and could use a mowing. The weeds could use a killing. The neighborhood is calm. From where I sit it is a beautiful peaceful spring afternoon.

Not far from here a family is grieving due to a house fire and loss of life. A little further away a family is grieving the loss of three people due to an apparent murder/suicide. Others are grieving the loss of a loved one in a car accident. From where they sit life is quite different.

From where I sat this morning the worship was rich and full and alive. God was being praised. Our assembly consisted of people from different races, from different spiritual backgrounds, and from different social and financial segments of our community. Worshippers were openly expressing their love and adoration for the One who has given us life and hope and a reason to live. We were free to assemble and free to worship with all our hearts.

In other parts of the world some were forbidden to assemble for worship. In some places what went on in the assembly was dictated and followed a very strict pattern of what is appropriate. Some worshipped with only people of similar backgrounds, and tastes, and beliefs. Some people worshipped in secret because of their fear of punishment. Some people worshipped in large assemblies and some worshipped where two or three were gathered.

From where I sit friends frequently gather to enjoy an evening of fellowship, food, and spiritual conversation. We regularly share meals with friends and family in our home and in restaurants. We laugh. We talk. We cry. We share. We support. We encourage. We share our stories.

Others are alone. They cannot remember they actually sat across the table from another human being. They cannot remember the last time they actually had a conversation with another human being. They cannot remember the last time they felt loved.

From where I sit I see God as a loving, caring, compassionate father who always wants what is best for me and is constantly sharing His creation and vast world of blessings with me. I see God as loving me unconditionally. I see God as drawing me to His side so that He can nurture me, comfort me, console me, and protect me.

Others see God as uncaring, cold, harsh and caring very little about what goes on in our world. Others see God as intent on making life miserable. Others see God as waiting for them to make a mistake so He can angrily correct them and condemn them to hell.

From where I sit I imagine God looking at us from where He sits with gentle loving eyes knowing that although we all may see things differently, think differently, act differently, and react to life differently, we are all still His children. From where I sit I imagine God reaching out to each one of us with open arms inviting us to bring our fears, our tears, our pains, and our suffering to Him. I imagine seeing Him life on this earth comes to an end as He welcomes home where once and for all we will enjoy eternal rest.

I like what I see from where I sit.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 13 | April 1, 2013

Father, on this day help me to allow the wisdom You have given me so that I will make, not only the right choices, but choices that demonstrate spiritual wisdom and choices that will produce spiritual fruit.

Father, on this day help me to surrender my will to Your will so that Your will is done in my life as it is in Heaven.

Father, on this day help me to allow Your Spirit to guide me resist temptation.

Father, on this day help me to seek Your Kingdom first and trust that You will provide for my all needs.

Father, on this day help me to trust that You will give me the strength to do all the things that I need to do today.

Father, on this day help me to know that You are aware of everything that is going on in the world and realize that You did not ask, and are not asking me to fix the wrongs nor to take credit for any of the rights.

Father, on this day help me to receive all the gifts You will make available to me with a grateful heart.

Father, on this day help me to keep Your teachings on love, compassion, kindness, and gentleness in the forefront of my mind as interact with people.

Father, on this day help me to rejoice with those who rejoice.

Father, on this day help me to mourn with those who mourn.

Father, on this day help me to receive any attacks that may be aimed toward me without retaliation.

Father, on this day help me to ignore comments and criticisms that are spoken to harm and discourage me.

Father, on this day help me to reject the lies that the prince of the darkness whispers in my ear or tries to plant in my mind.

Father, on this day help me to sense Your constant and abiding presence in every circumstance.

Father, on this day help me to speak when I need to speak.

Father, on this day help me to be silent when I need to be silent.

Father, on this day help me to simply listen to those who need to be heard without comment or instruction or correction or judgment.

Father, on this day help me to forgive anyone who has harmed me.

Father, on this day help me to release any ill will toward another human being that I may be holding on to.

Father, on this day help me to express my gratitude to every person who does a good deed to me or around me.

Father, on this day help me to look for opportunities to do good and ask for nothing in return.

Father, on this day help me to hear Your voice above all other voices that I will hear, and to heed what you say.

Father, on this day help me to think not only of my own interests but also the interests of others.

Father, on this day help me to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

Father, on this day help me to let Your gentleness be evident to all so they will know that You are near.

Father, on this day help me to overlook little and insignificant things that people do that annoy me…remembering that I do little and insignificant things probably annoy them as well.

Father, on this day help me to be a person that people enjoy spending time with.

Father, on this day help me to be the husband, the father, the father-in-law, the grandfather, the brother, the friend, the teacher, the preacher, the counselor, the writer that You created and gifted me to be.

Father, on this day help me to follow You in such a way that when others see me they will see You.

Father, on this day when I fail to do any one or all of these things to remember that You still love me, to ask for Your forgiveness, to accept Your forgiveness, and to know that if I wake up tomorrow You will give me the opportunity to start over and hopefully do better than I did today.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 12 | March 25, 2013

Have you noticed that much of life is made of events or happenings or opportunities or things that might fall into a classification of a very little thing, but not really? You may have another way of describing them, but you know the kinds of things I am referring to.

On the negative side it may be that hangnail that, no matter how hard you try, you cannot clip. It’s a little thing, but not really.

It may be that person at work who gets on your nerves. You come into the office what a great attitude and within minutes after a short interaction your day is ruined. It’s a little thing, but not really.

It may be that conversation that you seem to have over and over again with your boss or your spouse or your children. You have had the same conversation a hundred times. Nothing ever changes. You talk about changes, but nothing ever does. It’s a little thing, but not really.

Maybe it is that sound in your car. It is a rattle. Or it is a squeak. You cannot pinpoint where it is coming from. Everything else is quiet and smooth, except for that noise. It’s a little thing, but not really.

It could be that bump on the side of your face. Not a big bump. It turns an odd shade of red. It is a little tender. Finally you go to the doctor and he says, “We better have it checked out.” It appears to be a little thing, but maybe it’s not really.

It may be that cough that just will not go away. You have taken some over-the-counter cough medicine. That helps for a few minutes but it starts up again when you lay down. You call the nurse and she say, “You better come in. It sounds like a little thing. But maybe it’s not.”

Maybe it is that thing that your husband does, or does not do, that hurts you, or disappoints you, or makes you question whether or not he really loves you. He says he does. But if he does would he not take your feelings into consideration? Why does he keep doing that? Why is he not listening to me? You try to ignore it. Everything else seems to be going well. Do I really want to stir things up? It’s such a little thing, but maybe not.

On the positive side there are many little things that can make a profound difference in how you approach the day.

The person in the drive-thru at Starbucks pays for your coffee. It’s a little thing, but not really.

The person coming through your checkout line compliments you on your nice smile. It’s a little thing, but not really.

$2.26 provides a meal at the Nashville Rescue Mission. It’s a little thing, but not really.

You stand before an audience and say, “I do.” These are two little words that change lives forever. It’s a little thing, but not really.

The note you received in the mail from the friend you have not seen in a long time. It’s a little thing, but not really.

You led a prayer at church. You could not remember what you were trying to say and had a long awkward pause. You stumbled all over yourself. And you felt like you did a horrible job. But one of the older men came to you and said, “You did a great job! Thank you for your prayer.” It’s a little thing, but not really.

You walked into the new church for the first time. You are all alone in a new city and in a new church. A young couple saw and came toward you, introduced themselves, and asked if you would like sit with them. They introduced you to several members, invited you to their class, and took you home for lunch. It’s a little thing, but not really.

Jesus talked about offering a cup of cold water in His name. He told stories of stopping to help a stranger. He rebuked His disciples when they tried to stop little children when they ran to Him. They seem like little things, but not really.

The challenge: be the person who does the things that make life more positive; don’t be the person who does the little things that can turn a day wrong. Do that thing that we would call a little thing, but not really.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 11 | March 18, 2013

We were driving home from a nice meal and evening with some dear friends. We had driven about ten minutes when I began to realize I was thirsty. I wished I had a drink of water. We drove a little further and I thought about how much I wanted a drink of water. We drove a little further and I began to feel almost parched and had thoughts of stopping for something to drink. Then, I realized I had almost half of a bottle of water sitting right beside me in the drink holder. I had forgotten that I had not finished it on the way up. With two or three gulps the water was gone and my thirst was quenched.

I felt so foolish. I longed for water. I wished for water. I wanted a drink. I was really thirsty. The water I wanted was right there beside me. All I had to do was to reach for it, drink it, and get refreshed.

My failure to remember that I had the solution to my thirst right beside me is not so different from how we ignore and forget about the life giving water our Lord makes available to us.

To the Samaritan woman of John 4 Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Eventually she asked for it and received it.

To the curious followers seeking a savior in John 7 Jesus offered, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

To the young disciples in Matthew 5 Jesus promised, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they will be filled.”

We have a tendency to spend a significant amount of time wishing we had what God has promised we can have. We expend an awful lot of energy longing for and dreaming about what God has already given us. We waste too many opportunities to be blessed and refreshed and revived and restored by ignoring the Spirit of the living God who is always with us and already in us.

Why? Why do we miss the life giving living water of the Spirit of God? Why do we not reach out to the Comforter who has come to dwell within us?

We forget. We get caught up in living life our way. We become comfortable with the status quo. We settle for good enough.

We ignore. We know there is a better way. We understand that the source of refreshment is ours for the taking, but we prefer to pretend that we are lacking.

We choose. We choose to go it alone. We choose to do without. We choose to not use what God has made available.

Are you thirsty? There is water. Are you hungry? There is food. Are you weary? There is rest. Reach for it. Open the bottle. Drink. Be refreshed.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 10 | March 11, 2013

As I write I am sitting on our deck on a beautiful spring morning. The air has a warmth and freshness that we have not felt in months. The sky is a beautiful blue with a few thin white clouds scattered around. The grass is beginning to turn green. It is early enough in the spring that the mowers and blowers are not yet running. So the only sounds I hear are the birds singing, the blowing sounds of jets flying overhead, the faint sound of automobiles passing on a nearby street, and an occasional muffled conversation between neighbors as we begin to emerge from winter caves. It is a very nice morning.

There is one more sound that piques my interest. At first I could not locate it. It is not a loud noise, but a distinct one. I have heard it before. I remember it from late last fall when I was recouping from an illness and spent quite a lot of time on this deck. What was that sound? Then, I located it. It is a small bird perched on a branch next to a window of our neighbor’s house.

The bird apparently sees his (I do not know if it is a he or a she, so assume it is a he since most would say a female would not make this mistake) reflection in the window and is confused about whether it is real. He sits on the branch, looks at the window and then tries to fly through it. Since I do not speak or think bird I do not know what he is thinking. Does he think it is open space with another branch to land on? Does he think, “That is one beautiful chick and I want to meet her?” (Let’s not get into gender identification issues here. Remember I am speculating.) Does he think, “Hey dude, let’s be friends”? Obviously I do not know what this little bird is thinking.

What I do know is that this little bird is confused and is wearing himself out trying to get through this window or get to the bird he sees in the reflection. For several minutes he beats his beak and body against the window, then he flies away. Maybe he goes to a mentor bird and asks for advice. Then, he returns to once again to battle the image in the window.

The bird reminds me of me. There are times when what I see in the reflection is not what really is. There are times when I beat myself up about what I see when I look in the mirror and there are times when I think much too highly of myself.

Sometimes when I see my reflection in the mirror I see a man who seems to have his act together. At first glance that guy in the mirror seems to be a pretty good guy. He loves God. He loves his wife and children. He has always worked hard to provide for his family. He loves his church family and does his best to serve the Lord with his gifts and tries to use his blessings to encourage other people. But, when I look closer I realize that he is a sinner, and that because of his sin he has fallen far short of the glory of God (Romans 3:22-24). I realize that he is dead in his sins (Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 2:12-14). And I realize he is a slave to sin (John 8:33-35).

Sometimes when I see my reflection in the mirror I see a man who seems to have nothing together. All I can see is the sins the man has committed. All I can see is his guilt. All I can see is his shame. He is a sinner. He is guilty. He is ashamed. But, when I look closer I realize that he has been rescued from his sin (Romans 5:6-8). I realize that he has been blessed through forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-3). I realize that he has gained redemption through the forgiveness of his sins (Ephesians 1:6-8). I realize that because of Jesus his sins have been forgiven (1 John 2:11-13).

The bird has left his perch. At least temporarily he seems to have learned the truth about the image reflected in the window. This man has also gained a better understanding of who he is: He is a sinner who deserves to be punished, but he has been forgiven and redeemed by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. For now I realize that I am nothing without God. For now I am grateful to be loved by the living God.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

 

Vol. 16 No. 09 | March 4, 2013

The week leading up to and including my 60th birthday was filled with sharing memories, eating my favorite foods, receiving cards, gifts, and messages from friends and family, and some times of deep reflection on where I have been and where I am going. The time has been well spent and the good wishes have been appreciated. (By the way, it was March 1 for those who need to know and forgot to send a gift. It is not too late. I am still accepting.)

One question that has been asked numerous times is: “Well, how does it feel to be 60?” My typical answer has been: “A lot like 59.” Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in reality it is no different. And yet it is. Six decades. Sounds like a long time, seems like a long time, yet it also seems very brief. As one Facebook friend stated, “It seems like I just wished you a happy birthday.”

Part of the reason this birthday seems different is that in my mind 60 years implies some level of wisdom. From my perspective I have always looked at men and women who were 60 and above with at least some degree of respect. My reasoning being if they have lived this long they surely have learned something, so I can learn something from them. Obviously that is not always true. Some appear to have lived their sixty-plus years and managed to bypass the accumulation of wisdom.

So, as the day approached and passed I continued to look for that wisdom that I could pass along to those coming behind me (and maybe even some of those who are ahead of me), that would make their journey easier and more enjoyable.

The insight came during a commercial break of a recorded program of the one called the greatest golfer of all time, and is narrated by another of golf’s greatest. You can see the commercial by going to this link: Swing Your Swing.

Swing your swing. That is it. Arnold Palmer and Dick’s Sporting Goods said it well.

Swing your swing. Live your life. Live the life you have been given. Not the life you wish you had. Or the life you think you should live. Live the life you have been given. Use your talents. Do what you were created to do.

Long before the commercial, the company, golf and any of the great golfers, God used his servant Paul to live the message of being who you were created to be, then offer these instructions on how to function well within the body:

But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.(1 Corinthians 12:18, NIV)Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV)

So, my bit of wisdom to you is this: Swing your swing. Be you. God created you to be you. Learn from other people. Glean from the experience and wisdom of those who have gone before you. But be you.

If you are a teacher, teach the way you teach. If you are a singer, sing with your voice and your music. If you are an athlete, play your game your way. If you are a preacher, preach the message God is giving you and share the message the way God has equipped you to share it.

Although God has placed, and will place, very gifted and talented people in your life and along your path do not try to be them. Some of those you respected may even try to push you into their mold, or shape you into someone they admire and respect. Resist the pressure. Swing your swing. Play your way. Live your life. Use your talents. Develop your gifts. Follow God your way. Swing your swing.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.