Living Life Backwards (Benjamin Buttons)

Julie and I watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" last night. OK, I know we are behind on the movie scene. This was certainly not my favorite movie. A little bit slow paced for my taste. However, I have been thinking about it and there are some lessons this flick teaches us.

1. Live Life Backwards
If we would live life with the end in mind, then it would change how we live. So often we live in a manner that will produce the exact opposite results that we would say we want in the end. Ask lazy people what they want in the end and they will almost always say success or a legacy to leave behind. Lazy and successful, legacy-leaving traits are polar opposites. Perhaps we should begin at the end. What do you want the end of your life to look like? Live now to that end.

2. The people you meet in the middle are some of the most important peoplw in your life.
Benjamin and Daisy talk about meeting in the middle. The individuals that you meet in the middle of your life are often the ones who will leave the biggest and most profound impact on your life. You will probably share your most significant memories with these people. We make life-long friends as kids, but it is those folks with whom we share the birth of our children, face death, chase our dreams, face our struggles, and make major life choices who we will be the most important.

3. The real tragedy of life is "immaturing" through life. Benjamin grew younger and younger as others grew older. How many of us actually immature through life rather than mature? It is an indictment against any of us who are growing more immature as we age rather than growing and maturing in wisdom, love, the knowledge of Christ and life experience.

We may have watched the movie a little late, but the truths it teaches us are right on the button!

3 Days Without Destiny

Silence! It should produce calm, peace, and security. However, in my house silence produces the following question, “Where are the boys?” When I don’t see them or hear them for a short period of time, I get nervous and begin to look for them. I want to make sure they are O.K. and that they aren’t messing with something that will hurt them. My sons are “only” sons of God. Can you imagine losing “The” Son of God and not even looking for him?

Joseph and Mary were on the trip home. They were on the road, tired, busy, and distracted. They were focused on the destination, the journey, and the mechanics of getting there on time. In the blur of the moment they forgot Jesus. They forgot that the young man in their care had an unbelievable destiny. They should have been ashamed! Three days. Three 24 hour periods passed before they even noticed. Three nights in a row they fell sound asleep and never thought to ask, “Where’s the boy?” Embarrassing!!

But perhaps we should be the ones blushing. How many of us are so focused on our destination, our promotion, our problems, or our lives that we start moving toward our “place” only to forget and leave behind the people of destiny God has placed in our care. We leave so many behind in the blur of the trip. Destiny forgotten. Destiny abandoned.

It is imperative to learn from Mary and Joseph. Go back!! Retrace your steps and get your sons and daughters of destiny. Forget your pet problem. Deafen your ears to noise and ignore the distractions of the road. Go back long enough to find the men and women who have been abandoned on the trail. It requires a detour. It demands a change in plans. It will slow you down a little. It will delay arrival to your destination. We get further on our trip, we sleep well, and we see awesome scenery along the way. But have we forgotten our destiny child?

When the Lights Go Out

Genesis immediately provides us with a day by day account of creation. In Genesis 1:3, the Word tells us that one of the very first things that God did was create light. On the first day God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. With nothing more than a simple command His Word created light. However, it is not until the third day of creation (Genesis 1:14) that God stops long enough to create the sun, moon, and stars. Notice the sequence of His actions. God creates light and then two days later creates the natural means to support that light. For two days there was no reason for light other than His Word!

Many of you are currently in situations where people look at you and don’t understand how you keep going. There is no visible reason for you to have light. There is no support, no finances, and absolutely no logical reason to continue. People around you encourage you to quit, to give up, to throw in the towel, and to move to greener pastures. All the lights have gone out. From the outside looking in it may look hopeless and useless. However, if you have a Word you can keep serving, ministering, and living. When all visible means of support have gone out, it is absolutely essential for you to get a Word from God that will sustain you. In the darkest moments the light of His Word can cause you to remain faithful and fruitful. His Word will make up for lack of money and manpower. His Word will keep you going and growing. What those who don’t see any light fail to understand is that your revelation outshines your situation and their lack of illumination.

Quit relying on all of the external and natural support systems for light. It is time to return to the real reason you serve, sweat, sacrifice, and sometimes suffer. Return to the Word, the command, the marching orders that the God of Light gave to you in the beginning. When all the other lights go out this light will remain and will provide you with the resolve necessary to complete your mission. In the midst of the darkness you will be able to sing with conviction “This little light of mine . . .” There is light and it is good!