Don't do it. . .

Can you figure this picture out?


Yesterday, on my way to N.O., I was stopped behind a city bus and a fellow got off. (in front of the Conn's on Airline/Florida Blvd) Due to the construction, there was alot of mud washed around at the sides of the service road. The man got off the bus, walked to the edge and looked at the mud. The light had not changed, so I was sitting there assessing the situation from my angle and I was thinking, "don't do it man!"And just as I thought that, he stepped back a bit and launched out over the mud - he landed short of his goal, which was the dry concrete on the other side of the mud. His left foot made contact first and then his butt made the second contact. It was hilarious!!! His feet came out from under him and up into the air, just like you see on TV. He land on his butt and then his back. He jumped up just as quick as he had fallen and began slinging the mud off of his hands and wiping off his hind end. I had a roll of paper towels in my car. So I turned onto the service road, pulled up along side of him as he was walking and waved the roll of paper towels and saying "here are some towels you can clean up with" - he must not have heard me, so I repeated myself again, and again. He kept on walking and he was grinning from ear to ear, still wiping his hands. Then I thought," maybe he is deaf", so I pulled half way passed him so he could see me and began waving the roll of towels even more to get his attention . Still, no reaction, he would not even look my way! Then I thought, "maybe he is deaf in both ears and blind in his right eye". So I pulled ahead even farther and still no response. Then I finally thought, "maybe he's just plain ole'stupid" (naw, I did not think that, just kidding). So I turned around and went on my way. I was puzzled. Really, I was kind of struck as to why he refused any assistance. I didn't want anything from him, just to offer him something to help him get cleaned up. I pondered this for a while as I was heading to N.O. Then I kind of spiritualized the experience - does God offer some of us help, but we are just too embarrassed to accept it? Is it pride? "Do I do that to you Lord", I thought to myself. Do some of us fall into the mud of sin, refusing to let God offer to clean us up because we are too embarrassed or prideful. Could it be that we make poor judgements and then when we are paying the price as a result think to ourselves, "I got myself into this, so I will get myself out of it". Just a thought.

I had some other thoughts - about our value to God. I don't know how 'theologically sound' this is, but I have an analogy. I have two cats that we call "ours" since we feed them and pet them and have even given them names. There is a third cat that comes around and eats my two cats' food and intimidates them. I value the two, but do not value the third one. They are basically all three the same for all practical and biological purposes. But, I have placed value on the two. We are valuable, not because of who we are, what we can do or how much money we have or don't have. We are valuable because God loves us. That is what makes us valuable. His love for us causes us to have value, just like my care and concern for the two cats makes them valuable to me. I really could care less about the third one, I wish him no harm, but do wish he would find another place to go. I have value because of God's love for me. So do you. That is another reason we should value each other. This will keep us from geting the big head if we think of it in this light. It kind of reminds me of John 3:16.
Hope I did not bore you. God bless. George.