The King’s Speech, a low budget movie not expected to please the masses, slowly emerged on the scene and touched the heart of all who saw it.  It’s been a long time since I was excited to see a movie walk away with several academy awards, but it was worth sitting through Franco and Hathaway to see The King’s Speech take director, writer, and picture of the year awards – and of course best actor winner Colin Firth.   

I must admit I, like so many women, have had a “thing” for Firth ever since the A&E mini-series Pride and Prejudice. It was nice to see him perform in something again worthy of his talent.  A myriad of people contributed to the success of this movie, but it was the subject matter itself that had so many giving standing ovations in movie theaters across America.

King George VI of England

The King’s Speech is the true story of how King George VI, father of the current Queen Elizabeth, became king when his brother David abdicated the throne to marry Wallace Simpson.  Years ago, I remember people romanticizing the debonair brother who gave up everything for love. Yet, to me, the greater courage and sacrifice came from the man who reluctantly became king in spite of his debilitating stutter.   

There was a time when stuttering would not impede a personae.  Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Aristotle, Roman Emperor Claudius, and Lewis Carroll were just a few famous stutterers.  And perhaps King George VI would not have been as terrified if it weren’t for the advent of radio, which magnified his problem for all to hear.  In spite of his trepidation, he chose duty over preference and became the king who leads his country through World War 2.

I had a beloved uncle who stuttered so I saw firsthand how difficult it could be to just get through one sentence.  With speech therapy and developing certain speaking habits many people have learned to survive and even overcome this obstacle, but it’s not an easy process.  Here are a few people who did just that:  Theodore Roosevelt (president), Winston Churchill (British statesman), Bruce Willis (actor), James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader), Carly Simon (singer), Tiger Woods (golfer), and Joe Biden (vice-president).  This list could go on and on.

Another man with a speech impediment went on to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.  His name was Moses.  He didn’t want his job either.  He told God, “But my Lord, never in my life have I been a man of eloquence, either before or since you have spoken to your servant. I am a slow speaker and not able to speak well.” (Exodus 4:10)  However, God assured him he was the man for the job and helped him fulfill his destiny. 

I guess that’s kind of what happened to King George VI.

Are you religious? People make a huge error thinking that Christianity is a religion. It’s not so much a religion as it is a lifestyle. Religion is what you believe but Christianity is what you live. It’s something you do.

When people become followers of Christ (i.e. Christians), their lives are no longer their own. (1 Corinthians 3:23) They automatically become witnesses! (Acts 1:8) Others look carefully at the Christian lifestyle, so Christians are actually witnessing for Christ whether they want to or not. We Christians have quite a responsibility. The question is: What kind of witnesses are we?

Christians are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13) Are we full of zest for the life we are called to live?

Christians are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14) Do we light a candle in this world or do we curse the darkness?

Christians are friends of Christ. (John 15:13-15) Do we understand the meaning of friendship in our relationships? Can we keep a confidence?

Christians are not under the law but under grace. (Romans 6:14, 15) Do we know when to make an issue out of something and when to let it pass?

Christians are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:2-8) How do we handle trials when they come our way? Christians aren’t promised a life without thorns or thistles.

The main reason people do not become Christians is because they know one. By the same token, the main reason they do become Christians is because they know one. Maybe we should ask, “How do people feel when they are around me? What do people see when they look at me?” I’m not talking about perfection but reflection.

When we look in a mirror do we see wrinkles? Baggy eyes? Double chins? Scars? God doesn’t see that and He wants us to see what He sees…a reflection of Himself. (2 Corinthians 2:15, 16) Do we reflect the fruit of the Holy Spirit or the works of the flesh? (Galatians 5:19-25) When people look at us do they see a glimmer of the reflection of God?

Do we profess to be religious? That may not be enough. For example, John said that saying you love God but not showing it to your neighbor puts you on dangerous ground. (I John 4:20) On the other hand, doing something for others is the same as doing it for God. (Matthew 25:24-46)

You’ve heard it said a million times, “You have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.” Remember, religion is something you believe but Christianity is something you DO!

I keep forgetting that prayer and faith go hand in hand.  Therefore, I’m disappointed when God doesn’t give me the answer to a prayer I want, and shocked when he does. 

It reminds me of the old story about a country preacher.  He was a fine man and loved by all.  However, the only advice he ever would give people was, “Pray about it!”  One day the preacher’s car wouldn’t start.  A passerby saw his predicament and said, “Well, preacher, why don’t you pray about it?”  The preacher thought a second and decided to give it a try.  He closed the hood of his car, got into the driver’s seat, bowed his head and prayed.  Then he pushed the key into the ignition and gave it a tentative turn.  Lo and behold, the car started right up.  The shocked preacher said, “Well, I’ll be darned!”

Sounds like the preacher had the prayer part down, but lacked some faith. 

I guess I’m a little like that preacher.  I don’t doubt that God can do whatever he desires, but his desires are not always mine.  I waste far too much prayer time trying to persuade God to give me what I want instead of asking God to help me want what he gives.  True faith is trusting God to do what he knows is best for me instead of what I want. 

The Bible is full of such examples.  Christ said, “If it be your will, please remove this cup from me, nevertheless, your will be done.”  (Matthew 26:39)  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego said, “We know that the God we serve is able to deliver us, but if he chooses not to, O King, we will not serve your gods!”  (Daniel 3:16-18)

These great men had confidence that God would do what was best for them, according to God’s plan.  They wanted God to be glorified and not man.  How I long for that kind of faith – faith full of trust, belief, and blessed assurance no matter how bleak the outlook.

I don’t mind admitting I’m a whimp when it comes to trials.  I’d far rather learn through the mistakes of others, take the easy route, or just be pleasantly surprised when God gives me what I want.  However, there is a part of me that yearns to be content whether or not God starts my car.  A part of me wants to believe with my whole heart that whatever God does, will be for my best and for his glory.  So I’m trying to pray more “Nevertheless your will be done” prayers.  I’m trying not to talk God into giving me what I want, but wanting whatever God chooses to give.

Let’s be perfectly honest. Sometimes it’s hard to understand God. He just doesn’t make the decisions we would make if we were God. For example, if I were God, I definitely would not give rain to the mean, hateful farmers. Only good and fair farmers would get my rain. But the scripture says that God rains on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

If I were God, only the bad people would die. Good people would live long, happy lives. But the scripture says that sometimes God takes the righteous so they will escape the perils to come (Isaiah 57:1).

If I were God, I would always let everyone know exactly what lies ahead. There would be no question about what I had in mind. It would all be cut and dried, and easy to understand. But scripture says that God has us see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12).

If I were God, there would be no suffering in this world. But God says this is not His world; it’s Satan’s world. Therefore, God doesn’t always intervene, so bad things happen that we can’t understand (2 Corinthians 4:4).

If I were God, Christians would not have trials. After all, they are trying to obey God and do what is right. But God says that those who follow Him will have trials (2 Timothy 3:12).

Fortunately for the world, I’m not God. God has a distinct advantage over me. He knows everything and I don’t. For me to judge the decisions God makes for my life or in the lives of others is folly because only God knows when we should get rain and when we shouldn’t. Only He knows when we should live and when we should die. Only He knows when it would be in our best interest to have certain understanding and when it wouldn’t. Only He knows which trials will produce the best results in our lives and which ones won’t. Only He knows how to work in us so He is glorified. You see, it’s not about us; it’s about Him!

That’s why we shouldn’t try to second-guess God by thinking someone else’s trial is easier than ours. We might think, “Why should they get the easy trial and I get the hard one?” or “Why should they be blessed more than me?” But things aren’t always as they seem. We don’t really know what other people are going through. The other man’s grass may only look greener because it needs to be mowed.

If I were God, I would have each of us running the same race. But scripture seems to indicate that each of us has a specific course to run tailor made for us. Our trials are for us, not for someone else (Hebrews 12:1). That’s just one more reason why God is God and I’m not. I try to keep that in mind when it’s raining or when I don’t seem to understand a decision God makes. I need to learn to let God be God.

When governor Zerubbabel was faced with the task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, he faced many obstacles. Fifty years had passed since the Babylonian invasion left Jerusalem desolate and Solomon’s Temple (also known as the First Temple) burned to the ground. It became obvious this second temple would never have the grandeur of the first. Even after the foundation was laid, some old timers wept thinking of the comparison. (Ezra 3:12)

Yet amidst this small beginning God told the people not to be discouraged for the second temple would be completed through Zerubbabel. He also asked a rhetorical question that contains a life lesson for all of us. “For who hath despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10 KJV) The people could only see what was in front of them, not what God would do with it. How many of us are guilty of the same reasoning?

In a world that measures significance by size, we can think small things have little value. Yet little things mean a lot to God. Things like…

• Giving a cold drink of water to little ones (Matthew 10:42)
• Feeding the hungry (Matthew 25:43-45)
• Visiting those in prison (Matthew 25:43-45)
• Visiting the fatherless and the widows (James 1:27)
• A widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44)
• Sharing what little you have (John 6:9-13)
• Little children (Matthew 18:1-5)
• Little flocks (Luke 12:32)

The parables are full of analogies made with small things: one talent, sowing seeds, a lost coin, one lost sheep, a grain of mustard seed, and a little leaven. The list could go on and on.

What about people? Sarah, a barren woman, gave birth to God’s chosen people. David, a mere shepherd boy, used a slingshot to kill Goliath. That same shepherd boy became king. A small boy helped feed a multitude with three fishes and five loaves of bread. Moses, a baby saved in the bull rushes, grew up to deliver Israel from bondage. Esther, a lowly young woman, became a queen and put her life on the line to save the Jews from a deadly plot. Jesus was born in a stable in some obscure town, yet offers salvation to the world.

In fact Jesus’ life was spent doing small things for others. We could call them acts of kindness. He comforted the sick. He befriended the sinner. He hung out with the fishermen. He paid attention to little children. He washed the disciples’ feet. He told us if we wanted to be great we should do the same thing – learn to serve others. (Mark 10:42-45)

God does not despise the small things. He does not measure significance by size. There can be power in small things. A little match can cause a big fire. A tiny acorn can produce a giant oak tree. Little drops of water can fill an ocean. Tiny grains of sand can make a beach.

Little things mean a lot to God. Always remember that God can take any little thing we do and multiply it for his glory.

The Christian is compared to many things in the Bible. We are the salt is a savorless world. (Matthew 5:13) We are the branches of Christ’s vine. (John 15:5) We are a light on a darkened earth. (Matthew 5:14) We are the sheep of our shepherd’s flock. (John 10:27) We are soldiers for Christ putting on the full armor of God. (2 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 6:11) We are fruit bearing trees. (Psalm 1:3) We are feet, hands, ears, eyes and so on. (1 Corinthians 12) In 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Paul compares Christians to epistles or letters.

“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men, manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

Being compared to letters may not seem significant in a society that rarely writes them, but letter writing has and probably always will be a part of our lives in some form or another. They come in all shapes and sizes. They serve a purpose.

Years ago letter writing was almost an art form. With no phones or e-mail, it was a major form of communication. People spent a great deal of time and put a lot of thought into each of these compositions. Much of what we have learned from history can be found in letters exchanged between friends and loved ones.

Although today’s letters aren’t usually long and descriptive, we still have letters of appreciation, thanks, love, condolence, sympathy, and apology. We have letters of termination, invitation, complaint, and application. We have cover letters and donation letters. The letters Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians were letters of reference, recommendation, and introduction, similar to what we might use today. In Paul’s time these served as a form of “credentials” that could be easily forged – just like they can be today.
                                                                                                                                                                          In the early church it was the custom for some teachers to bring letters of introduction or commendation from a well-known Christian leader or churches they had visited from other areas, to validate their ministry. Some were authentic; some were not. Some questioned Paul’s authority to preach because he had no such letters. However, Paul felt his teaching about Christ and the lives impacted by it would serve as his “letter.”

Paul had no better recommendation than the changed lives of the Corinthian believers themselves. These believers lived in one of the worst cities in the ancient world. So evil was its reputation, the phrase “Corinthianize” meant to corrupt. Yet in the midst of this licentiousness lived Christians who were a living testimony of the power of Christ to transform lives. These Corinthian believers were an open letter for all to read – and so are we.

Our letters are not written on paper with pen and ink, but on our hearts by the spirit of God. We are living letters and all who enter our lives, whether casually or intimately, can read every word written. Fortunately we can let God do the writing. Because signed, sealed, and delivered – we are His!

I recently read of an old legend about the baby Jesus. When the people of Nazareth where upset, tired, weary, angry, annoyed, or out of sorts they would say, “Let’s go look at Mary’s child.” When they looked upon the baby Jesus, they gained peace and their troubles would not seem as burdensome.

As legends go, I’m sure this one is not all that accurate. After all, Jesus was not readily accepted as the son of God by those he grew up with. However, the principle is beautiful. For when we take our eyes off Jesus our circumstances feel overwhelming. Every disappointment, set-back, trial, or unfulfilled expectation can seem insurmountable. And truthfully, without Jesus, our problems are too much to bear. That’s why 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all our cares upon Jesus, for he cares for us – more than we could ever imagine. We are of value to him.

In fact, God values us so much he thought us worth the life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus. For Jesus wasn’t just Mary’s child, he was God’s child too.

The story of people looking at baby Jesus’ face in biblical times is just a legend. However, the principle is solid. An old hymn tells us to turn our eyes upon Jesus. Look full into his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

When life starts getting us down, perhaps we should go look at Mary’s child.

When we are children we have a sense of awe and wonderment. A colorful flower, a vibrant sunset, a twinkling firefly, a crescent moon – all fill the young eye with sparkle and delight. I marvel when I see my three year old granddaughter Sophia gather rocks of all shapes and sizes that to me appear to be nothing more than ugly hunks of gray hues. In her eyes each one possesses some hidden form of fascination. Where we ever that young? Where we once amazed with the wide world that surrounded us?

Yes, we were. What happened to change this? Did the world change or did we? Sometimes as we age, our world can seem smaller. Those vibrant, twinkling colors are still there, but we become so used to seeing them that in our eyes they look dull and gray.

This can be analogous to the Christian journey. When we first discover Christ we are filled with awe and wonderment. How can it be that one would care for us so much that he would give his life for us, offer us salvation, extend us grace, and give us victory over death through his resurrection? All this Christ did while we were yet sinners. We are amazed at such sacrifice, such benevolence – yeah verily, such love!

After a while, we can grow accustomed to this. We can drift hither and yon. Instead of praising God for our blessings, we might blame him for our trials. God has not changed. Christ is still the one who extends his mercy, but sometimes we change. We stop building a relationship with God through prayer, meditation, Bible study, and communing with like believers. Our senses become dulled. We lose that awe and wonderment we experienced when we first realized God’s love for us.

Perhaps that’s what happened to the church at Ephesus. (Revelation 2:1-5) They started out strong with an infectious love of God. Yet something must have happened along their Christian journey to dull their senses. Maybe this happened slowly over time. Perhaps they gradually stopped praying, thinking about God, and studying the scriptures. Or perhaps it all became just a ritualistic routine without much meaning – just going through the motions. Whatever the cause, the Bible says they lost the love they first had for God and were encouraged to find it again.

Losing this awe and wonder of God and his creation can affect our lives. For when we view God and his creation through dulled senses, we will not see the glory that surrounds us. The world becomes a dreary place. I often ask God to help me remember how I felt when I first knew him and to help me know him more. I think the more we know God, the more we will stand in awe and wonder of it all!

Keeping your word is almost unheard of among politicians. It’s becoming a lost art form among regular folks as well. Sadly, we have come to expect and accept this. Cicero told us the tragedy of not keeping your word is that eventually “a liar is not believed even though he tells the truth.” It’s a real breath of fresh air today when you meet someone who actually keeps his word.

Thirty-five years ago we lived in Appalachia and wanted to purchase a little land so we could build a house. Farmer Brown had some acreage that caught our eye. When we met he told us he had a special affection for this particular parcel of land because he wanted to give it to his son to build on.

“Uh oh,” we thought. “Is he good or what?” We were city people and used to dealing with cunning sales people. We could feel the price rising even as we spoke.

Then he quoted us some astronomically low amount. He liked us. We were a nice, young couple with two small children and he wanted to help us. We quickly agreed and said we would have a contract drawn up immediately. He found this insulting. He said if we needed a contract the deal was off. His handshake should be a good enough bond for us. We trusted him and shook on it. He was refreshing, honest, and true to his word.

That was many years ago and I’m not sure we would have that kind of confidence in a man’s word today – even in Appalachia. There has been too much media exposure on ways to lie, cheat, and steal and even more glorification of those who do. Politicians, CEOs, salesmen, and almost everyone you meet are adept at twisting words to get what they want. If a “man is as good as his word” there are not that many good men left.

The Bible speaks of a good name being better than precious ointment. (Ecclesiastes 7:1) and putting confidence in those that are not true to their word can be painful. (Proverbs 25:19) As Christians, others should be able to count on what we say.

How good are we at keeping our word? Can we be counted on to do what we say? Can a person rely on us to follow through with our end of the bargain if all we gave was a handshake to bind the deal? If we say we will be there to help someone, will we show up? These may seem like little things, but those who are faithful in the little things are faithful in the bigger things. (Luke 16:10)

If a “man is as good as his word” there are not that many good men left. Yet that doesn’t mean we can’t be one of them.

A few years ago someone gave me the book Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss and I loved it!  It’s a book about (now brace yourself) punctuation.  Yes, I said, “Punctuation!”  Who knew that such a book could be so humorous, informative, and popular?  The title comes from an old joke, written in its entirety on the back cover. 

A panda goes into a café and orders a sandwich.  He eats the sandwich, fires a gun in the air and walks towards the door. The confused waiter asks, “Why did you do that?”  The panda throws him a badly punctuated book on wildlife and says, “Look it up!”  So the waiter does.   “Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

This illustration confirms that one little comma can make a big difference in what something means!  A little punctuation here and there can clarify or confuse. 

Many people do not know the Bible was originally written with no punctuation.  I recall one person who said, “If the King James Version of the Bible was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.”  Ah-hem…King James wasn’t around when Jesus was alive.  Neither was our present system of punctuation.   

Sometimes a comma placement in the Bible can determine a whole doctrine.  For example, when Christ was on the cross speaking to one of the thieves, he made the following statement in Luke 23:43: 

 verily i say unto thee this day thou shalt be with me in paradise 

One interpretation is “Verily, I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”  This could mean the thief would be in heaven with Jesus that very day.

However another interpretation is, “Verily, I say unto thee this day, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”  This version indicates that the “this day” refers to the time when Jesus is actually speaking.  Therefore, there might be a possibility of Purgatory or people remaining dead until a resurrection.  There is the argument that even though a person may be physically dead, his spirit would go to heaven with Jesus.   

How do we know which version is correct?  One would have to research what other passages say about the subject and mesh it together.  Since those passages don’t have any punctuation either, it can be a little tricky. To add to the confusion, bear in mind, that when the Bible was written there were no spaces between word or paragraphs or chapters or verses. Also, some words just can’t be translated from one language to another without some interpretation.  The Bible has several words for “love,” each with a different meaning; we have only one.   

Does this mean we can’t understand the Bible?  I think God made it possible for us to understand what we need to understand.  But just being knowledgeable about the history of punctuation may protect us from getting bent out of shape over some differences of opinion.   

And let’s not forget, your perspective may determine how you would punctuate and/or interpret sentences.  For example, how would you punctuate the following? 

 woman without her man is nothing 

Men might say, “Woman, without her man, is nothing.”

Women might say, “Woman! Without her, man is nothing.”

Which goes to show you – a little (;-“!:’?,) can make a big difference. 

P.S. Someone just gave me another Lynne Truss book entitled Talk to the Hand:  The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door.  I think I’m going to like it!