Category Archives: For Contemplation

Many essays here are Food for Thought for your enjoyment.

Shaken and Stirred

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Shaken And Stirred

It hit him as hard as a punch delivered by a profession boxer! As he read the letter, the news contained in the letter made his knees buckle and knocked him back into his chair. A sense of solitary emptiness settled in his stomach. Unexpected and certainly unwanted was the news that a long time business associate had died suddenly from a “massive heart attack.” Several minutes would pass before he could compose himself and rise from his chair. The death of the friend was staggering news to him; here one day, he was gone the next. Life is so fragile and its end can be as stunning as it is final.

After recovering from the initial shock of the news of his friend’s death, he wondered why he was so staggered and upset over the news of the friend’s demise. The news of the deaths of other friends and even relatives did not affect him as intensely as this news. Why? In fact, he and his friend met only two to three times a year, although regularly for almost 40 years. Their meetings were like a ritual; they were regular occurrences that he assumed would continue forever. What could interfere with their meetings? Nothing! But death defeats everything; it indeed marks the end of the relationship. Reading of his friend’s death in a letter tended to make a very personal issue seem cold and impersonal. That hurts! Though their relationship was about business issues, he trusted his friend; his competence and his word were never questioned. He was as solid a person as one could know. It hurts to lose him. Losing a trusted friend sent shivers up his back; you see, trusted friends are hard to come by.

As shaken as he was by the friend’s sudden death, it also stirred him to action. Life is very fragile and is so unpredictable that death, this death in particular, shook him to the core, reminding him that his time is limited and may also be running out. The thought kept forcing itself into his consciousness, “Your time is short, no matter your age, make certain that you settle all your affairs, do not delay your plans, love your family and make certain they know you love them.” Most importantly of all, put things right with God.  Immediately! And keep them right.

Then the thought hit him! What if he was the one who died suddenly and the news of his death would confront and unnerve his friends? There would be no time for him to seek God’s forgiveness and help in confronting death. The lesson screamed loud and clear, “Seek God now, asking for His forgiveness for one’s sins and help when death arrives for me.”

Be shaken and stirred before it is too late.

 

Works

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Works

Following his usual custom during brief conversations, the CEO stood as he listened to his Vice-President discuss the qualifications and experience of one of his employees. After hearing the litany of attributes of the employee, the CEO peered at his immediate subordinate, while simultaneously waving his hand indicating him to stop talking. In a manner that indicated his displeasure, the CEO glared threateningly at the VP and forcefully announced, “I do not give a dam about the prestigious schools he attended or the academic awards he received. Those things are a given or we would not have hired him. I want someone to be on this critical project who can produce results. What works has he done? Words are fine, but works /results are what are needed to prove to me this person can do the job.”

“Coach, I am the one for the role you have in mind,” enthusiastically exclaimed the player. He continued with a long list of his attributes, attempting to convince the coach that he was the player for a challenging assignment. The coach listened to the player’s pleas, then looked intently at him as he said,  “That is all fine, but what are your accomplishments? Attributes frequently do not translate into accomplishments. I need someone who has produced results.”

In any endeavor, responsible leaders are seeking individuals who not only possess skills and educational backgrounds, but, most importantly, they want people who have proved they can “get the job done.” In other words, they have the works, which substantiates their qualifications and their words. Leaders want individuals who can support the words about their intelligence and skills with tangible works.

It is common that many individuals possess excellent capabilities, while seldom accomplishing any substantial works. On the other hand, there are occasions when a person has demonstrated extraordinary works, but whose words and ideas are rejected.  It has happened with some frequency that people can witness or have knowledge of a person’s valuable works, but refuse to acknowledge their words or decide to just completely dismiss them. Some people refuse to accept another person’s works and words because, by acknowledging them, it would force them to accept their own limitations or change their opinions or reduce their status. They are unwilling to face the consequences of the acceptance of another’s works. (The Pharisees in the time of Jesus rejected His words and refused to accept His works since to accept Jesus would be a threat to their status and belief system.) Therefore people will often deny or denigrate the accomplishments of another, frequently going so far as to ruin the reputation, or worst, do physical harm to the person whose accomplishments they want to discredit.

Throughout His ministry Jesus Christ accomplished many good works, curing the ailments of many and even bringing individuals back from the dead. All of Jesus’ works were done before witnesses, often in front of hundreds and even thousands of people. His works were available for all to see; nothing was hidden. Yet many, including some who had personally observed the works of Jesus, refused to accept both His works and words. Some refused to believe in His works because they feared it would threaten their status or contradicted their opinions. Others just would not accept Jesus as the Messiah and His promise to mankind of divine immortality. Jesus expressed his frustration with some of the leaders of His time, who rejected His words, when He challenged them. “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe in me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works.”

Today many people refuse to believe in the words and works of Jesus, even though the historical record testifies to them. Similar to the unbelievers who lived in Jesus’s time, today’s unbelievers do not want to face the challenge of believing the words of Jesus. They are too great an obstacle to their current worldly desires; too many changes, which they do not want to make, would be required of them. Thus some will demean His teachings and any group that promotes and encourages people to live according to his words. Nothing has changed in 2000 years – Jesus is still waiting for us to accept his works and to live by His words.

Suggested Reading;

The Gospel of St. John, especially chapter 10.