Being There

“A friend is always loyal, 

      and a brother is born to help in time of need.”  Proverbs 17:17

     I’ve never jumped out of a plane.  Never actually wanted to.  Sure it looks like fun, but why jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?  I have been in one of those wind tunnel free-fall sky diving simulators though.  I put on the flight suit, got my “pre-flight” briefing and entered the chamber.  There are certainly a lot of things to remember when you’re in the air!  The angles of your legs matter... your arm position matters... if you make a mistake, your body speeds up its descent toward the ground and you sink like a stone.   

    While I was in the simulator I couldn’t help but think that if this were a REAL jump from a plane, we’d need someone even more important with us.  Someone who, besides the pilot, would have an impact on my experience in a profound way.  That person?  The parachute packer. 

Yes... the one who would put that nylon piece of cloth into my backpack just right.  He would literally have my entire life in his hands.  If he mis-packed it... or didn’t check the releases... or neglected to close the bag correctly... I was in trouble.  My parachute tech would need to be there for me and make sure my jump was a successful one.  

When I successfully landed on the ground, he’d be the first hand I’d like to shake.   

Why?  Because he was there for me when I needed him.  He had allowed me to get through a scary time simply by being there for me and doing what he needed to do for me to be successful.

So here’s my question for you today... who is packing your parachute?  Who is it that is there for you when you need them?  Who is making sure you are ok when life scares you or makes you wonder.  Do you have someone in your life that is taking care of you?  Holding you up?  Ensuring you will land ok?  If so, count your blessings. That person is who the Bible is talking about in today’s verse:  “A friend is always loyal....”  Friends are to be treasured, appreciated, and loved.  People say that if you have 5 great friends over the course of your lifetime you are lucky.  I say think bigger.  Hang around with people that honor God with their lives, will be there for you, honor you with their words and actions, and challenge you (in love) if the need arises.  

Which brings me to my final question of the day.... Who’s parachute are you putting in the bag?  Do you have people in your life that trust you?  Is there someone counting on you to be there for them in crisis?   Honor that commitment!  Christ wants us to be that type of friend to others:  trustworthy, loyal, and loving... just like Him.  

The Chute

“A friend is always loyal, 

      and a brother is born to help in time of need.”  Proverbs 17:17

     I’ve never jumped out of a plane.  Never actually wanted to.  Sure it looks like fun, but why jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?  I have been in one of those wind tunnel free-fall sky diving simulators though.  I put on the flight suit, got my “pre-flight” briefing and entered the chamber.  There are certainly a lot of things to remember when you’re in the air!  The angles of your legs matter... your arm position matters... if you make a mistake, your body speeds up its descent toward the ground and you sink like a stone.   

    While I was in the simulator I couldn’t help but think that if this were a REAL jump from a plane, we’d need someone even more important with us.  Someone who, besides the pilot, would have an impact on my experience in a profound way.  That person?  The parachute packer. 

Yes... the one who would put that nylon piece of cloth into my backpack just right.  He would literally have my entire life in his hands.  If he mis-packed it... or didn’t check the releases... or neglected to close the bag correctly... I was in trouble.  My parachute tech would need to be there for me and make sure my jump was a successful one.  

When I successfully landed on the ground, he’d be the first hand I’d like to shake.   

Why?  Because he was there for me when I needed him.  He had allowed me to get through a scary time simply by being there for me and doing what he needed to do for me to be successful.

So here’s my question for you today... who is packing your parachute?  Who is it that is there for you when you need them?  Who is making sure you are ok when life scares you or makes you wonder.  Do you have someone in your life that is taking care of you?  Holding you up?  Ensuring you will land ok?  If so, count your blessings. That person is who the Bible is talking about in today’s verse:  “A friend is always loyal....”  Friends are to be treasured, appreciated, and loved.  People say that if you have 5 great friends over the course of your lifetime you are lucky.  I say think bigger.  Hang around with people that honor God with their lives, will be there for you, honor you with their words and actions, and challenge you (in love) if the need arises.  

Which brings me to my final question of the day.... Who’s parachute are you putting in the bag?  Do you have people in your life that trust you?  Is there someone counting on you to be there for them in crisis?   Honor that commitment!  Christ wants us to be that type of friend to others:  trustworthy, loyal, and loving... just like Him.

Reflected Values

A recent study from the University of Glasgow revealed something quite surprising.  It seems that when photographed, the human eye reflects the person taking the photo very clearly.   Rob Jenkins from the University of New York says that “the pupil of the eye is like a black mirror” and reveals far more than what was first thought.   What usefulness does this have?  Imagine a hostage situation where the kidnapper takes a photo of the person they are holding… computers can digitally zoom into the eyes of the person being held and see a clear picture of the criminal.  

The pupils reflect an image of what’s in front of them.

Our hearts do the same.  So often we put ourselves around people that we shouldn’t… and their influence is reflected in our lives.  We begin to talk like they do… think like they do… and many times slide backwards… away from the life that God has called us to live.   The Bible warns us about staying amongst those that harm our hearts.  Proverbs 22:24-25 says “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”  1 Corinthians 15:33 echoes this concept with “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.”   Find yourself angry?  Bitter?  Anxious?  Filled with gossip or jealousy?  Check your friends list.   Perhaps it is the reflected influence of a “friend” that is causing you to see the world differently.   Am I saying not to have friends that don’t believe like you do?  No.  You will (and should) hang out with people who are still investigating the claims of Christ.   But if you are a Christ-follower, your closest companions…those that have the greatest influence on your life… should follow and live out the values of Christ as you do.