Easter Story

Allen Meets Jesus
By Toni Smothers

I was running some errands in town yesterday when I came across a mentally challenged young man named Tim. Everyone around knew him. He was usually a very cordial young man – just a bit simple.

Tim was swinging a picnic basket as he walked. "Going on a picnic Tim," I asked.

"Nope, caught me a bunch of baby chicks; want’a see?" On the bottom of the basket, there were three little, dainty, trembling, yellow chicks looking near scared to death.

I stopped Tim and asked him, "What are you going to do with those little fellas Tim?"

"Take ‘em to my house to play," he answered. "I'm gonna see if they can roll around, maybe … or pull some of those pretty, fluffy feathers out to play with. I dunno, play some fun games with ’em. I'm gonna have lots of fun with ’em I bet."

"Don’t you think they might get hurt Tim? What will you do if you hurt them by accident?"

"Oh, I won’t do that. Besides, they’re just plain little chicks. Who cares about plain ole chicks?" said the simple boy. "What’s the difference? They ain’t good for nothing and they mostly die anyway."

I tried to think of what to say to Tim to make him give me those chicks. "Want to make a trade, Tim?"

"Huh??!!! Why? You don't want them chicks. They're just plain ole chicks. They don't do anything but poop and they’re all skinny and little."

"How about it?" I asked again. "I’ll trade you an ice-cream cone for them."

"Really? Boy, I sure would like an ice-cream cone!" Tim said as he handed over the basket.

I went with him a few blocks to the ice-cream store and bought him his cone. He was happily licking his treat as he walked away – all thought of the little chicks totally forgotten.

I carried them back to the nearest farm down the road, and sure enough, there were several adult chickens squawking about. I carefully placed each chick on the other side of the fence, pretty certain that was their home. I was their hero; the little chicks were free and all it cost me was an ice-cream cone.

I couldn’t help telling the story to my seven-year-old son, Allen, because I thought there was a good lesson to be learned from the story of Tim and the chicks. Jesus set us free too – but instead of an ice-cream cone, He paid for our freedom with His life. So after supper, when bedtime rolled along, I scooped my son up into my lap and said, "How’d you like to hear a little story?"

"Sure," he replied excitedly. Allen always loves to hear a good story.

First I showed him the basket and told him about Tim and the chicks. After that I really had Allen’s attention, so I wanted to take the opportunity to teach him something deeper than just my saving some chicks at a pretty cheap price. So, I made up a parallel story to teach him a little bit more about our real Savior.

I began, "One day a mean and dangerous man named Sin and a rather gentle young man named Purity were having a conversation. Sin had just come from abusing a young family and was bragging. "What fun – I just caught the boy by the ankle and caused him to break his leg. I got the Dad while he was running to help his boy. He tripped over the skate in the driveway and busted up his nose and chin pretty bad. Then, the best part of all, the young mother flew out the front door across the yard and tripped on a rock. She hurt her hip, but the best, best part is, she’s pregnant, so – you guessed it… She’s definitely going to lose her unborn baby! Got 'a love it! That was really fun."

"Why’d you want to do all those cruel things," Purity asked?

Sin answered with a snicker, "Oh, I'm not done with them! I'm gonna teach them, and lots of others too, how to ruin their marriages, how to belittle each other and be prejudiced and backstabbing. I’ll teach them about war and revenge and pain. Let them be burdened with addiction to all kinds of harmful substances. I’ll make sure they learn how to kill each other, maybe even start a war or two. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Purity asked.

"Oh, I'll torture some of them … kill all of them for sure," Sin boasted.

"What can I do to make you stop?" Purity asked.

"Oh, why should you care about those people? They‘re absolutely no good and never will be. Why, I’ve already made most of them hateful. They’ll just hate you, spit on you, curse and kill you. You don't have any reason to want those people!!"

"What can I trade you that you will accept?" He asked again.

Sin looked at Purity and got really mad. "You’re a fool – give me your life if you want to be the big hero! And be sure that if you agree, you will die very painfully!"

Purity said, "I agree. It is finished!"

"Eventually He paid up and died a terrible death on the cross, just like Jesus did for us." I told Allen.

I picked up the basket that held those little chicks. We both looked inside, and it was empty. "Those little chicks are free, just like us sweetie." I said.

"I sure hope Purity didn’t really die." The concern in Allen’s voice was very real.

"Oh, but that’s what the story is all about, Allen. Purity is just a story name. He’s just like Jesus, who really did die for us. He protected us from Sin and saved us with his own life."

A tiny tear rolled down Allen’s sweet cheek. "I think Jesus is my best friend."

"Mine too." I said.

***


Let’s all try to start this New Year remembering that Jesus truly wants to be our very best friend. He is as close to us as our own breath. His love is always available and each and every one of His beloved family, which means you and me, are so important to Him that He gave His very life to prove it.

I hope that you all had a Blessed Easter and that you will have a Spirit-filled New Year!

Question 36709:

What does it mean to honor thy father and mother? What if they are non-Christians? I know whoever does not leave their family to follow Christ will not enter heaven, but does this mean we should cut all ties?

There is a difference between obeying and honoring your parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3) To obey means to do as one is told; to honor means to respect and love. Children are not told in the Word to disobey God in order to obey their parents. Children are to obey their parents while they are still under parental care so long as they don’t demand something that would go against God’s Word. Adult parents are not required to be subservient to domineering parents.

The responsibility to honor parents is for life, however. God promises us His blessing for honoring them always. Children should honor their parents even if they are demanding and unfair. God’s blessing will be sufficient reward.

Cutting all ties with your family would only be hurtful. Praying daily for their changed hearts and eternal salvation would be much more productive and loving. Pray and be an example of Christ’s behavior and character for your parents to see. Live your faith out in front of them without jamming it down their throats or totally giving up on them.(Proverbs15:29, 1 Peter 5:3) Withholding your prayers is actually sinful. (I Samuel 12:23)

If we cut all ties with all the non-Christians in our life, who will we be telling the “good news” to? It is our great commission to spread the gospel to all the nations, not turn our backs on the lost of this world, especially our own family members.

Count yourself exceedingly blessed to be among God’s chosen. Simply out of gratitude, have no wish to glorify yourself or feel superior, (John 8:50), but be humble, (Ephesians 4:2), gentle and peace loving, (1 Timothy 3:3) do everything for the glory of God, (I Corinthians 10:31) and never alienate or stop praying for and loving your parents.

Hey Good Looking – Nobody’s Looking


Colossians 3:12-14 tells us about some pretty gorgeous attire. "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." 

Did you notice that phrase, “over all?” (Not to be confused with “overalls” – that’s an entirely different look!) Well, Christian comedy aside, God instructs us all to put on love. It’s not something we fall into, like a free-fall off a cliff into the ocean. And love doesn’t fall on us, like a bucket of cold water over the head. Putting on love is a deliberate decision. It’s like choosing what to wear and then dressing for the day.

There are personal things to remember when getting ready. Things that you’d rather others not see. You know, unmentionables, like underwear or deodorant. (Gosh, I can’t believe I just mentioned those!)  But, and this is the super-neat part, the child of God gets to put on “God’s love” and wear it so that His love is the very first thing that others see when they look at you. Understand, your figure or fashion sense is so insignificant compared to your obvious happiness. Your sparkle, laughter and smiles are the features that attract others.   

Knowing all this intellectually, and ignoring the God sparkles for now; I have been known to stand almost comatose like a kid in a cocoon, carefully contemplating the contents of my closet. Besides being an outrageously contrived tongue-twister, this contemplation is not always a happy task for me. I bet you’ve already guessed that my clothes are a bit snug lately, so it often takes longer than I’d like to find an outfit that comes even remotely close to fitting my “current version.” No matter how long I moon over them, those too small clothes do not magically transform into larger ones. Just knowing that makes me respond with a little discontent. On some level of thought, (albeit irrational), my peevishness makes perfect sense to me.

I know, it sounds pretty weird, but since I’m the worst pack-rat in existence, it seems like there should be some value in those irritating garments that mock me. After all, some of those tiny clothes are authentic antiques. Funny thing is, many of them are back in style again. Yeah, well, a lot of good it does me. I can’t get my big toe into most of them. (Twisting and contorting is quite the unsightly sight, if you know what I mean.)

All right, I admit it, there’s no rational explanation I can offer for hanging on to those old clothes. It’s probably got to do with fond memories, (or delusions), of a perfect “Barbie-doll” body. Not to worry, though: Pride has a way of simmering down when thrown into the refiner’s fire. God’s not especially into our clothes, but He does want to supernaturally transform us through faith in Jesus. We can evolve, incrementally, into more loving people who shine with the joyful assurance that God grants whoever would earnestly seek him.

Whoever you are, whatever shape you are currently in, you can still rely on His perfect love every time. You see, when it’s from God, there are no physical qualifications or strings attached. He gives freely to all His children. And, (drum roll), His love even comes in an expandable fit!

Yeah, come to think of it, His garment of salvation grows right along with me. Christ’s unmatchable act of sacrifice wraps around me no matter what, so that even in my swollen state, (head included), He’s got me covered. It’s a most luxurious fit. But the absolutely incredible part is that my Savior calls me His own “beautiful bride!” You gotta love it!  

In Isaiah 61:10, the bible tells us what the well-dressed child of God is sporting these days: "He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." I know one thing, I’ve never had to squirm and fight my way into God’s garments. (You know, I’ve always suspected that spandex is not of God!)

Anyway, my garments of salvation and my robe of righteousness came straight from God, through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. It’s Jesus’ robe I get to wear. I must say, I feel like a real winner in it.

Love is the ultimate accessory. It just kind of pulls it all together. Christ’s robe to cover me, God’s great love within me and His Holy Spirit to fill me, these garments surpass anything I could ever come up with. (And it certainly beats the skinny, “Twiggy” look.)

With or without the thunder thighs, try Jesus on for size. We’re talking one really great fit!

Coping With Stress
Toni Smothers

Stress can be a good thing, if it is mild and simply serves to motivate and jump start your body. It can become a problem, though, when you begin to feel like your family and work obligations are less like normal activities and more like a frantic juggling act. We’ve all been there, its when these pressures become the norm, rather than the exception, that you feel that tightening in the pit of your stomach. When your daily activities are consistently hectic and all your time is scheduled down to the hour and minute, with unreasonably urgent deadlines, something has to change.

The body’s reaction to stress can be broken down into three different processes: Initially, the reaction is fight or flight, where a threat is supposed or expected. This quickly startled stage causes an automatic assumption of jeopardy. Next, if the perceived danger is not resolved, the following response predicted is called the resistance level, where your body discharges hormones that are meant to prepare you for a more prolonged readiness to take action. Soon the final stage of exhaustion completes the body’s coping cycle. During this final period, the body regroups and refreshes itself. If there is never a break in this series of reactions and your body never gets the opportunity to replenish itself and take the necessary rest, this series of stressful reactions can often develop into overwhelming feelings of anxiety.

Some level of stress is a natural part of life for everyone. Overdue bills, workdays that spill over into nights and weekends, or strained relationships, all contribute to a crazy lifestyle and too high a level of sustained stress. This can easily become a problem. For example, adrenaline is initially secreted by your body to help you quickly cope with a real or imagined threat. If that hormone is excreted too frequently, or in excess, without enough rest, adrenaline can also cause harm to your exhausted body in the form of physical illness. Too much adrenaline can weaken your heart.

There are a myriad of common maladies, as well as dire diseases, that have been directly attributed to a stressful lifestyle. Vasopressin and cortisol, other hormones released by your body during the resistance stage, are known to raise both blood sugar and blood pressure. Additionally, the body’s continued state of fight or flight will eventually disrupt your sleep cycle, which only serves to further contribute to your state of exhaustion. Certain debilitating headaches, bowel irregularities and a decreased immune system are also associated with exhaustion.

It is important to identify an unduly stressful lifestyle so that anxiety is not permitted to take a firm control over your health and emotions. If you remain aware of the pace of your life and deliberately take time for planned relaxation and recreation, that will go a long way toward keeping your equilibrium.  Deliberate optimism and a positive approach to challenges can also contribute to a well rounded outlook. A sense of humor and the ability to laugh, even at yourself, can always help keep troubling anxiety at bay. You can’t really laugh and worry at the same time.

Maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle. If you have financial difficulties, approach your problem incrementally, come up with a well thought out plan of action and begin to resolve the situation. If you need outside help, by all means seek it out. Worry is counterproductive and leads to feelings of helplessness. Affirmative action can give you the sense of calm that your overall wellbeing demands. You want your body producing endorphins to help you relax and cope with one thing at a time.

If your children, marriage or significant relationship needs attention, resolve to spend more time with those you love, making the time spent with them a main priority. Everyone seems busy as a natural consequence of our culture. Keep track of what gains your efforts, determining to devote time only to those things you consciously choose.

If you have thought through what the source of your anxiety is and made an actionable plan toward defusing it, you may need to exert patience. Untangling a knotted head of hair takes slow, deliberate effort. If you have to smooth things out with your kids, wife, employer, or even your debtor, there is usually a way to succeed. Patient and persistent effort toward a foreseeable goal will calm your body, mind and spirit. Stressful drowning in a sea of unresolved worry will become a thing of the past for you.

(Reference – Allaboutlifechanges.org)