Do You Know Everything?

Proverbs 19:20-21 (NIV)

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,

    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Did you hear about the man who attempted sky-diving for the first time? His parachute didn't open. Then his auxiliary chute failed. Now he found himself in free fall with no more options.

Then a strange thing happened. He spotted something coming up TOWARDS him from the ground at a high rate of speed. It was a man! When he was sure they would pass one another without a collision, he shouted down to the figure, "Do you know anything about parachutes?"

"No!" the man called back. "Do you know anything about gas stoves?"

A little bit of technological knowledge could have been helpful in both cases. But it has never just been about how much we KNOW. I read that the world's body of knowledge doubled from 1900 to 1950. In other words, knowledge that took thousands of years to accumulate doubled in only fifty years. It then doubled again between 1950 and 1965. In just fifteen years. It is estimated that the world's body of knowledge doubled once more between 1965 and 1970, and now doubles every five years. Amazing! We can never keep up with all there is to learn.

But perhaps more important than how much any of us KNOWS is how consistently we ACT on whatever knowledge we have. We certainly need enough knowledge to live fruitful and constructive lives, but even knowledge will not serve well if we neglect to use it. You may know that material things don't bring lasting happiness. Will you actively pursue things of the heart and spirit?

You may know peace comes when you forgive. Will you decide to put down that grudge and leave it behind?

You may know that any decision made from fear alone is likely to be wrong. Will you choose the path of courage, even if that path seems hard to navigate?

Most of us know important principles about effective living. But in the end, what we know to be true is of no consequence -- the decisions we make are everything. When we have to make decisions, why not go to the One that who knows everything. Ask Him to give the wisdom and lead and guide you.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the wisdom we have. Help us never to rely upon our self but instead go to You to get the answers to life’s problems. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Where is Your Confidence?

Psalm 27:1-3 (New International Version)

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—

   whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

   of whom shall I be afraid?

 2 When the wicked advance against me

   to devour me,

it is my enemies and my foes

   who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,

   my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

   even then I will be confident.

Every year for more than a decade, The Parachutist, which is the official publication of the United States Parachute Association, has published an article called their "fatality summary." In the article a writer analyzes the factors contributing to parachuting deaths in the previous year.

Parachutists are classified first as students, then after twenty jumps they receive their A license. After fifty jumps, they receive their B license. After one hundred jumps their C license. After two hundred jumps, their D license.

In the 1993 fatality summary Paul Sitter points to an alarming statistic. Fifty-nine percent of all parachuting fatalities were suffered by elite jumpers, those with a D license. A graph accompanying the article shows a dramatic upward spike for fatalities among those with two hundred to one thousand jumps. The line on the graph falls again for those with more than one thousand jumps.

The lesson is clear. Just because a person is mature doesn't mean he or she is invulnerable. Is it possible that some parachutists with between two hundred and one thousand jumps got overconfident?

What a blessing to know that we can have complete confidence in Christ.

Dear Lord we want to put our complete confidence in You. We thank You that You are always there for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.