Author: Gene Linzey

I am the owner of P&L Publishing & Literary Services. Contact us at plpubandlit2@gmail.com and speak with a person - not a recording. Also, you may check us out at plpubandlit.org for more information.
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The Art of Conversation

When I told a friend that there is an art to conversation, he leaned back in his chair and said, “Yeah, right!” I suppose his retort surprised me as much as my statement surprised him.

In an October 5, 2015 article, Larry Alton listed “6 Tips to Rule the Art of Conversation.” Tip #5 is: “Let the other person do the talking.”

On July 21, 2014 Eric Barker listed 7 points, with his 5th point being: “Great Conversationalists Listen More than Talk.”

Brett and Kay McKay wrote “The Art of Conversation: 5 Dos and Don’ts” on September 24, 2010. The #1 item in the Dos section is “Listen more than you talk.” And the #1 item in the Don’ts section is: “Don’t interrupt.” That is the best summary I’ve ever heard.

“Conversation” has been a hot topic for millennia – even Plato had a lot to say about it (you can look it up later).

Much of the narrative I’ve read concerning the art of conversation was about preparing our thoughts, how to get our points across, how to guide the conversation, and much more. But for those of you who don’t have time to find and read these books, I’ll make it simple. Here is my number one advice on the Art of Conversation:

Don’t Interrupt.

That’s right: listen to the other person. Listen with your intelligence. Listen with your ears. Listen with your eyes. Listen with your body language. And listen with your emotions. Sometimes it is not what we say that makes good conversation; sometimes it is merely being there. And sometimes you don’t need to say anything.

Some years ago in New Mexico, a man came to talk about a problem he was experiencing. After seating him in my office and getting him some coffee, I asked him to tell me what’s on his mind. After about forty minutes of non-stop talking, he said, “Pastor Linzey, I need to get back to work now, but that’s one of the best discussions I ever had with anyone about this problem, and I feel better. Thank you.”

As I looked out the window and watched him drive away in his pickup, I said to myself, “And all I did was listen.”

One of the most prevalent hindrances to the communication process is a discouraging concept called “interruption.” This happens in many ways, but here are four examples.

  1. A discussion is being enjoyed by two people, and a third person walks up and begins to talk. This is utterly rude, for the interrupter acts as though the world revolves around him.
  2. A person is talking but the other person repeatedly cuts right in to finish the thought. He also interrupts to override the other’s opinions with his own. The interrupter acts as though other people are either not important or their views are irrelevant.
  3. Another situation is when someone asks a question but interrupts the person as the answer is in process. My question here is: If you are not going to listen to the answer, why ask the question?
  4. Some folks give a “running commentary” as the other talks. That is really disrespectful. If not disrespectful, it is annoying.

Every adult needs to memorize the following three statements. Except for emergencies:

  1. Interrupting someone as they are speaking is a manifestation of basic immaturity. Interrupting is just plain rude. We expect interruption from a 3-year-old, but we should learn basic courtesy by the time we are five.
  2. Interrupting reveals ignorance and self-centeredness on the part of the interrupter, and a disregard for the one who is speaking.
  3. Stated bluntly: an interrupter does not care what the other person is saying. One person often asks me a question, interrupts my answer, and forgets that he asked a question. That does not generate a good conversation.

As I was growing up, dad used to say, “When you talk, you’re not learning anything. But if you listen, you just might learn something. So practice listening.”

Dad was right.

We should learn to intelligently voice our thoughts; learn to respond without being haughty or boring; give others equal opportunity to speak; etc. But the number one key in the art of conversation is to honor others by learning how to listen without interrupting. Then respond wisely, intelligently.

James 1:19 (KJV) says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak….” The NLT says, “Listen and be wise.”

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Unrecognized Dangers

Having been an operations officer (which included safety oversight) at a scientific laboratory for years, I am always on the alert for possible danger. If the grandkids are running around while holding something in their hands, I check to make sure it isn’t something that could hurt them. If I am with a work party and someone is about to climb a ladder, I make sure the ladder is secure. I am always on the lookout for electrical problems. When I was a pastor in New Mexico, several of my parishioners said, “This is the first time we’ve had a safety officer as a pastor.”

Dangerous situations which are easy to spot should be corrected quickly. However, people need to be trained to recognize and understand inherent dangers. Some years ago I was visiting friends who lived in an old house, and they had many children with three under the age of six. As polite as I could, I advised the father to correct a safety issue: five live electrical outlets in the kitchen and the living room did not have covers. If a curious child poked his finger in the socket, it could be fatal. The father began rationalizing that he trained his children not to touch the outlets and thought that spending two dollars for this situation was unnecessary.

But he DID spend the two dollars when, an hour later, he found his two-year-old about to insert her hand into an open socket to pull out a dead moth. That danger suddenly became obvious to the father. Dangerous situations can pose great challenges simply because they are not recognized. Therefore, training is important.

Here’s a minor event that happened with me. I’ve reserved one pair of shoes for working in the yard, and those shoes are kept outside. When I want to wear the shoes, I do not blithely put them on – I check for ants, spiders, crickets, and small snakes.  

When I checked them this time, out flew a big angry hornet. I was glad I checked them; this critter would have redesigned my toes. First Corinthians 12:26 says, “When one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers with it.” How true.

There are many hidden dangers in life. Terrorists hide explosives in their cars, trucks, and clothing; and it takes highly trained people and animals to detect them. These hidden dangers have killed many thousands of people.

Undetected mechanical problems can become life-threatening issues. An undetected screw on the floor of the cockpit of a military jet caused one to crash, killing both pilots. Leaks in hydraulic systems of cars, trucks, buses, trains, or planes have resulted in fatal crashes. Old, frayed, or improperly installed electrical wiring in walls or in the attic have caused houses to burn down. My sister’s house was a victim.

Unexpected movements underground – earthquakes – have killed millions throughout history. Brown recluses and black widows lurk in dark corners, and copperhead snakes hide in wood piles and in tall grass.

If we foresee or anticipate these dangers, we can “head them off at the pass” so to speak, and mitigate the negative results – at least, to some degree. I am glad to say that mankind has become much better at it.

 But there is one danger in life where man has been a dismal failure at detecting. The results include broken families, poor health, disintegrating society, political corruption, suicide, skyrocketing crime, psychological problems, terrorism, and wars. The Bible calls it sin; it’s a result of refusing to privately and publicly honor God.

Rather than returning to the God of our fathers and correcting personal and societal problems, we ignore God and ignore the cause of the problems. We continue hedonistic, ungodly activities, but spend billions of dollars trying to fix the results. That is irrational. We promote programs which defy God while trying to solve the social ills that we assume are causing the resulting problems. We are intolerant of those who publicly stand for truth because we prefer to show tolerance for anti-Christian beliefs and bizarre and immoral behavior. This is, also, irrational because without a Godly/Christian influence, there is no basis or foundation for truth.

If we insist on pleasing those who live contrary to Scripture while denouncing those who desire a healthy, Godly society, we will never recognize the dangers that are currently leading us to destruction.

The remedy? Study the Bible, turn to Christ, and He will give us wisdom for living: both now and throughout eternity.

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Walk Like a Man

In April of 1899, in Chicago, Illinois, President Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech titled “The Strenuous Life” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-strenuous/). He started with:

“In speaking to you…I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor gold strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.”

In about 5,000 words, this San Juan hero, this Golden Gloved champion, this fearless American, President Teddy Roosevelt told his audience what it means to be not only a great American, but what it is to walk like a man among men.

All through history, some individuals were proud to be real men and didn’t want others to see them as anything less. If you insulted their integrity, you might have lost your life in the ensuing duel. (President Andrew Jackson participated in 103 duels but killed only one man.) Please understand that I am NOT suggesting dueling, fighting, or killing. I’m talking about being a mature person. About standing up for what’s right. About not backing backing down from truth.

Let me share with you some of the character traits of a real man. And for you women listening in, this applies to you, too. I am not speaking about gender, but about integrity.

The Book of James in the New Testament is our source. It has only five chapters so read it when you can. When I use the word “child”, I mean an immature person no matter how old he or she actually is, and the word “man” refers to a mature person no matter how young he or she may be.

 The following are but a few of the concepts found in James.

A child quarrels, argues and demands his own way, but a mature man will listen first, attempt to reason with others, and ultimately do what is right.

A child will try to avoid his responsibilities, but a man will readily do what is required of him no matter the hardship.

A child lies easily, but a man will tell the truth no matter the consequences.

A child talks incessantly, but a man will show respect and listen to others.

A child will say whatever will make him look good, but a man talks to benefit others.

A child is self-centered, but a man puts the needs of others ahead of his own desires.

A child slanders others, but a man will defend others while adhering to the truth.

A child ignores or denies God, but a man lives by Godly principles.

A child lives to please himself, but a man lives to honor God.

In all of that, I am not implying sinless perfection; instead, I am talking about a definite desire to live a life that is above reproach, is mature, and which honors himself, others, and God. A person in San Diego recently said, “I can’t live that way because of my past. I have lived a bad life.”

I told him, “You must put aside your self-centeredness, and stop using your past as an excuse. Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. And that means with the help of the Holy Spirit, you must change the way you think. God will help you change but you must purposely cooperate with God.”

If we live a life of honor to please God, we will bless those around us and we will receive that “ultimate triumph” Teddy Roosevelt mentioned above.

The president concluded with: “If we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by and will win for themselves the domination of the world. Let us therefore boldly face the life of strife, resolute to do our duty well and manfully; resolute to uphold righteousness by deed and by word; resolute to be both honest and brave, to serve high ideals, yet to use practical methods. Above all, let us shrink from no strife, moral or physical, within or without the nation, provided we are certain that the strife is justified, for it is only through strife, through hard and dangerous endeavor, that we shall ultimately win the goal of true national greatness.”

Friends, let’s walk like men, and serve the Lord our God.

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I Have Chosen You…

Election, free will, predestination, sovereignty, Calvinism, Arminianism, perseverance, falling from grace, limited atonement, TULIP, God decides, man decides…the debate goes on and on. I am not going to address that issue today, but I want to take two factors out of the equation and shed light on them.

The first is Romans 9:13. “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (KJV)” Most versions use the word hate in this verse as it relates to Esau.

Let’s get something straight right now. God does not hate people. He hates sin, yes! But Jesus definitively told us in John 3:16 that God loves people; and Jesus Himself gave His life for us that we may live forever in heaven with Him. Since that is the case, why does Romans 9:13 tell us that God hated Esau?

The New Living Translation gives us a hint. It says, “In the words of the Scriptures, I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

That is it! God did not hate Esau, for in Genesis it tells of the blessings Esau received. What we have in Romans 9:13 is this: God chose Jacob to be a patriarch with Abraham and Isaac of what we refer to as “the Chosen People.” And since the promised Messiah had to be born to someone, somehow, somewhere, He would come through one of Jacob’s families – and that was through the tribe of Judah – one of Jacob’s sons.

Because God is omniscient (He knows everything), He knew that Esau would rebel against his parents, against righteousness, and against God. Therefore, God rejected Esau from being a patriarch in the Messiah’s lineage. This concept has nothing to do with salvation or eternal destiny. God’s sovereignty? Yes. But salvation? No.

The second factor is found in John 15:16. Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name” (NLT).

The Old Testament mentions many prophets. Normally, God chose one primary prophet at a time, but there were schools of prophets “in training.” Second Kings 2:3 refers to this. “The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

The custom was for those in training to ask the head prophet for personal tutoring. The primary prophet would accept about twelve trainees; and if the students stayed close to him, the rabbi/prophet would teach them for several years. In this setting, the trainees “chose” the teacher.

But Jesus did it differently.

As Jesus was beginning his final three years on earth, He was both rabbi and prophet. Rather than waiting for trainees to come to Him, Jesus searched out and chose twelve men to be His disciples. But again, this had nothing to do with salvation. Notice the wording in John 15:16 – “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

Do you see it? Jesus did not choose these men for salvation; He chose these men for a specific ministry.

Also note: others came to Jesus to be tutored, but Jesus turned them away. He didn’t consign them to eternal damnation; He merely let them know that they were not called to ministry – at that time, anyway.

God, through the Holy Spirit, still selects men and women for ministry today. We think of it as, “God calling us.” God calls (chooses) people, gives them certain spiritual gifts to enable them to fulfill that ministry, and sends them out to produce fruit.

We humans muddy the water when we try to turn everything into a theological issue. Let’s not do that, and don’t fuss with those with whom we disagree. As the German Lutheran theologian, Rupertus Meldenius (not Augustine or Francis), said around 1627 during the bloody Thirty Years War, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity”.

God is in charge, His sovereignty is unquestioned, and God requires our response. But remember: God chooses people for various ministry and vocations, and Romans 9:13 and John 15:16 have no part in the predestination discussion. Predestination is another story for another time.

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The Impossible Dream

On November 6, 2015, our church seniors group attended Wasserman, Darion, and Leigh’s classic musical “Man of La Mancha” in the Berry Performing Arts Center at John Brown University.  JBU’s Music and Theatre departments did an outstanding job producing and presenting it.

When I watch a play or movie, I normally remain objective because I want to see what is going on. (Yes, I am the perennial critic.) That means I usually do not get emotionally involved with the story line first time around.  And because I normally remain objective, I will see a movie or play twice or more if I like it. The second or third time is when I actually enjoy the story.

The original story (Man of La Mancha) was written in two volumes in 1605 and 1617 by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra; and was titled El Ingenioso Hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (in English: The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha). La Mancha means “the stain”; but the origin possibly comes from the Moors’ influence and was probably “al-mansha” – which is: dry land, or wilderness. Therefore, the title should be: The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote from the Wilderness.

The story is about the adventures of Alonso Quixano (pronounced Kihano). He read so many romantic stories that “he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world.” He talked a farmer, Sancho Panza, into going with him as his squire. In the first part of the book, Don Quixote doesn’t see the world for what it is, and imagines that he is a knight in shining armor. And there are no songs in the book.

But the musical was written in 1972, and, of course, included songs. I read the book decades ago, but watched the musical seven years ago. When the orchestra began playing the theme song, I leaned over to Carol and asked, “Andy Williams?”

Carol said, “Yes.”

That was a surprise. I heard Andy sing “The Impossible Dream” for years, yet I never knew the origin of the song. When I went home and studied the words, it began to make sense. Here are the words from the brochure, written by Joe Darion in1972:

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right without question or cause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe, to reach the unreachable star

The words haunted me for some reason. Reading them over and again, I began to softly sing them. But as I sang, the reason for the mystical feeling began to slowly sink into my mind. In awe of the message, I stopped singing and sat down. I don’t know if Joe Darion was a Christian, but in my mind, those words speak of one man, and one man only. That song is a sermon about our Lord – Jesus Christ.

Jesus fought and conquered the unbeatable foe. He bore the unbearable sorrow. He righted the unrightable wrong. He created the unreachable stars. He gave His life for the right without questioning. He marched into hell for His heavenly cause. Jesus was scorned and was covered with scars. And the world is, indeed, better because of all that Jesus did, and all that He is. No man, and no group of men, could ever do for us what Jesus did.

Jesus is called the Man from Nazareth. The Man from Galilee. The Man of Sorrows. And the Son of Man. He came from heaven to this wilderness called earth. He is God almighty – the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Our Redeemer. Our Savior. He is the Coming King.

He’ll ultimately share His heavenly dream with you, if you live for Him now.

God’s plan is not an impossible dream.

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Historical Global Climate Change

We’ve been told: “Mankind and modern technology are creating greenhouse gases which are responsible for melting glaciers and polar ice caps, and warming the oceans. Therefore, our technology will cause massive coastal flooding within a hundred years.” The question is: Is that true?

That scenario can be confusing because the same people who bemoan human-caused global warming tell us the earth has undergone several ice-ages in the prehistoric past. If they’re right, the earth froze and thawed several times without man’s assistance. So if our technology wasn’t available, what caused the assumed cooling and re-heating cycles?

We have geological evidence that the entire earth was a greenhouse 5 to 8 thousand years ago. We also know that for every effect there is a cause. Therefore, without man to mess with the earth, what caused the earth to cool down? Geological data shows that the earth’s oceans could have been about 300 feet lower than they are now. What raised the ocean levels? Without the human factor, what caused the earth to warm up again?

To compound the problem, I just read that by 2050 the earth might undergo another “mini-ice-age” and the sun will be the culprit.

Mount Kilauea, one of three active volcanos in Hawaii, has a lava lake that is over 520 feet wide, is very deep, and of course it’s fed from the huge magma pool. On April 26, 2015 the “lake” level rose twenty-six feet. The previous week, Chile’s Calbuco volcano erupted again. On May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted. And in April of 2010, Mount Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland erupted which caused substantial disruption to air traffic across Europe. There are about 1,500 potentially active volcanos above water and 500 potentially active underwater. People ignore the fact that these mountains spew heat into the water and atmosphere which affects the climate. Dr. Dan Walker at the University of Hawaii noticed a strong correlation between seismic and volcanic activity in the Pacific Ocean and El Nino cycles over a period of 25 years. Also, sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid are produced by volcanic activity which is carried world-wide on the trade winds. Volcanism produces an average of over 5.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. And man cannot stop any of this.

Does the book containing the oldest available historical record of man say anything about global climate?

It does. Genesis 2:6 says, “The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.”

But Genesis 8:22 reports after the world-wide flood, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Then Genesis 9:12-13 says, “And God said, this is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow [rainbow] in the cloud….”

We find that the earth was a greenhouse with no rain. That infers continuous cloud cover with a more massive atmosphere; and that suggests no direct sunlight reaching the ground. After the flood, Genesis 8:22 mentions “cold and heat, and summer and winter.”

Seasons were introduced which suggests massive geological, atmospheric, and climatological changes. There was a sudden world-wide cool-down with the sudden appearance of what became polar ice caps. Man’s average lifetime was reduced from 912 years (before the flood) to 285 years (as of Abraham’s lifetime). Winter, mountains, deserts, snow, hail, rain, tornados, and hurricanes were gradually introduced to the world.

Matt Cantor wrote an interesting article (May 3, 2015) titled “Ancient Climate Change Could Explain Tibet Mystery.” Matt said that about 4,000 years ago Tibetan climate suddenly became much colder. Of course, man didn’t cause that temperature shift.

With the probable influx of massive amounts of ice from ice comets that slammed onto earth which changed the earth’s astronomical posture, the earth went into geological convulsions and the earth’s crust broke up. And the earth has been ever-so-slowly reverting to its temperate equilibrium ever since. Although mankind should increasingly clean up industrial contamination, man is not able to control earth’s climate. If mankind were removed and the earth was given to the animals, the warm-up would continue. Since God caused it, He is the one who will have to stop it … if and when He wants to.

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Historical Trivia

I thought I’d follow up last week’s blog of New Years myths with a few tidbits of historical trivia.

Many things are going on in the world today and we tend to get tense, worried, and cynical.  But I think we need to “lighten up” … for at least a week. Also, I think humor is appropriate since Proverbs 17:22 says “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (NLT). So, here is some light-hearted trivia that I found many years ago. When I first read them, it looked like some had incorrect information so I did a little “lookin’ up” to get as close to the truth as I could. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the next five minutes.

Have you heard the saying “God willing and the creek don’t rise”? Some folk have a picture of an uncrossable stream or creek rising during a torrential downpour – especially with all the flooding happening in parts of the world today. However, there is one small error in that quote. The statement was written by Benjamin Hawkins, a politician and Indian diplomat in the early 1800s. While on the job in the southern USA, Hawkins was requested by President Thomas Jefferson to return to Washington D.C. and give a report about what was happening. His response was, “God willing and the Creek don’t rise.” Because of his job, and the fact that he capitalized the word “Creek,” it is deduced that he was referring to a potential Creek Indian uprising, and not a flooded body of water.

In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington show him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back, while others showed both legs and both arms. In fact, many paintings show people with arms or legs out of sight. That’s because prices were based on how big the canvas was, how many objects (things and people) were to be painted, and by how many fingers, hands, arms, legs, and feet were to be painted. Arms and legs are more difficult to paint, therefore painting them raised the price considerably. This is one probable origin of the expression, “It’ll cost you an arm and a leg.” By the way, that’s why many (if not most) cartoons show the characters with only three fingers and a thumb. Omitting the fourth finger reduced the production costs.

In centuries past, personal hygiene was not understood, and people didn’t bathe very often, which aided in the profusion of lice. Therefore, many women and most men in the European higher social strata shaved their heads because of lice and bugs, then wore wigs. This continued in colonial America – which, of course, was primarily an extension of British society. Wealthy and influential people could afford to buy larger wigs – and they did. Today we still use the term “He’s a big wig” because someone appears to be, or is, powerful and wealthy.

You might have heard various stories about the origin of “chairman of the board.” Well, some of the stories are flakey, but this is probably correct. The word “chair” infers sitting in the chair, or seat of authority (at times, perhaps the only chair while others sat on benches), and “board” (as we know it) was first heard of in the 13th century spelled borde, and means “table” – such as “God’s borde” (meaning “the Lord’s table.”) A mother’s call to the family was: “Mi bord is maked. Cumed to borde.” – meaning, “The table is set [for a meal]. Come to the table.” Also, people pay a fee or rent for “room and board” – sleeping quarters and food at the table. So, chairman of the board would be the person in charge at the table where business is conducted: be it church, industry, restaurant, or government.

Here’s one more. Have you heard the phrase, “turn a blind eye” in a situation?

In the naval battle of Copenhagen in 1801, British Admiral Horatio Nelson (who was blind in one eye) lead the attack against a joint Danish/Norwegian flotilla. The British fleet was commanded by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. Sensing defeat, Parker sent a signal for Nelson to disengage, but Nelson was convinced he could win if he persisted. In Clarke and M’Arthur’s biography, Life of Nelson, published around 1809, they printed what they said was Nelson’s actual words at the time: [Putting the field glass to his blind eye and addressing his assistant] “You know, Foley, I have only one eye – and I have a right to be blind sometimes. I really do not see the signal.” So, turning a blind eye to Admiral Parker’s order, Nelson proceeded to defeat the enemy.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a pleasant week.

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New Year Traditions

Several readers asked me if I would write about New Year’s traditions. Although late, I agreed to their request; and as the old saying goes: better late than never.

For thousands of years, people have had the idea that what they do on the first day of the year will set the stage for the next twelve months.

Maybe – maybe not.

Looking into the topic, I found hundreds of myths but I’ll present only twelve. As you read these, keep in mind that we should not base our lives on superstitions or myths. We should be careful about what we believe, for what we believe becomes part of our worldview.

Here are the twelve, and I’ll add comments later.

  • Being debt-free. The year should be started owing no man anything; so all debt should be paid before the year ends. But do not repay debt on January 1 or you might be paying out all year long.
  • Kissing at midnight. The year is started out with affection to ensure that a loving year will follow. Otherwise, strife could be in the house all year long, and the sofa or couch might be the spare bedroom.
  • Eating black-eyed peas. This attracts good social favor, and financial prosperity. But poultry should be avoided lest poverty (scratching for food) overtake you.
  • Wear something new. This assures that you’ll receive new things throughout the year.
  • Stock your pantry. Be sure to have your cupboards or pantry filled with food before the old year ends, or you might have a lack of food for the remainder of the year.
  • Money available. Be sure to have plenty of money in the wallet or purse; this attracts prosperity throughout the year.
  • Breaking things. Whatever you do, do not break anything on January 1 or many things (business deals, cars, glass, etc.) may be broken or wrecked throughout the year.
  • Nothing should leave the house. Don’t even step through the door to get the newspaper. Nothing and no one is to cross the threshold on January 1 in order to ensure safety and conservation throughout the year.
  • Be kind. Be considerate and caring to others so that kindness will fill your house all year.
  • Let the old year out. Open all house doors before midnight to release the old year. The new year cannot enter until the old has left.
  • Make loud noises. Loud noise scares away the devil and evil spirits, so make as much noise as possible.
  • Be praying at the stroke of midnight. If you start the year praying, you will receive blessings all year long.

Most of those myths are only superstitions and we should not base our lives on myths or superstitions. However, several of them are not myths, but are good ideas to follow all year long. For example:

Being debt-free: Romans 13:8 says, “Do not owe people anything, except always owe love to each other, because the person who loves others has obeyed all the law.” Think that one through.

Kissing at midnight: My wife and I kiss often, even when it is broad daylight. We love each other. Also, sleep is more complete when we end the day with a loving attitude. Ephesians 4:26 hints at this: “…be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day.” In other words, solve the problems before you “hit the sack”. One woman asked, “That’s good advice, but what do you do if the offence takes place after sundown?” The counselor said, “Well, if it’s not a ‘9-1-1’ situation, the couch in the living room might provide emotional space; then you can handle the problem in the morning.”  Hmmmmm……

Be kind: Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you.” This exhortation could prevent sleeping on the couch.

Praying at the stroke of midnight: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.” So don’t base your life on superstitions or myths which generate fear. Instead, base your life on sound Biblical instruction. This will enhance your quality of life all year long.

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On January 24, 2022 I wrote … “In Case You’re Interested”

 

In that blog I talked about this book, Charter of the Christian Faith. I said that it would be beneficial to whoever wanted to enhance their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is absolutely true.

After hearing from many folks commenting on it and how it helped them, I took the privilege of writing a second edition. I refocused the message and gave the book a new title. Also, in order for readers to get the updated edition and not be confused with the two books, I took Charter of the Christian Faith off the market.

I replaced it with the new edition, Truth not meant to be Hidden, pictured here, and I’ve kept the price the same. This is a power-packed message you might never have heard before. And it does reveal truth that has long been hidden.

You’ll find the book at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=S.+Eugene+Linzey&i=stripbooks&crid=NO0PDTQR3CQL&sprefix=s.+eugene+linzey%2Cstripbooks%2C107&ref=nb_sb_noss.

If you copy that url address and paste it into your browser, it will make finding this book very easy. It was published just last week, and I believe you will want to read it. You will see life in a way you’ve never seen it before.

The reason I wrote the book in the first place is although I know that all Christians go to heaven, much of the Church seemed to have forgotten how Jesus wanted a Christian to live while on earth. I didn’t see much difference in many people’s lives when they became a Christian or joined a church. On Sundays, most people talked about the Lord, sang, bowed heads in prayer, listened to the pastor – most of them – but something was missing.

Why would the Church of Jesus Christ—including all divisions and denominations–be confused as to what the Christian life is all about? Simply because I know many Christians who don’t seem to understand the Faith they claim to believe. Going to church and joining it is not the same as understanding the faith.

The Church, including each member of it, needs to keep in mind that our goal in life is not merely to get to heaven. Our goal in life, both on earth and in heaven, is to be a member of Jesus’ team and grow the Kingdom of God throughout eternity. It is by becoming an adopted child of God, and growing into a mature spokesman for God, that we can fully take our place in the Kingdom. That is why we need to know and understand the teaching in Matthew 5:1-12.

This book, Truth not meant to be Hidden, addresses this topic.

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Are You Facing the Wrong Way?

Have you ever done something backwards or sideways? You did everything according to directions, but it just didn’t work out the right way?

Many years ago, dad and mom visited us in New Mexico. The first thing that came out of dad’s mouth was, “Eugene, get me a compass, and mount it on the dash board!”

“What’s up, dad?”

“Dad turned the….” Mom started to tell me the traveling woe, but dad cut in.

I laughed about it, but dad forgave me. He knew I wasn’t mocking him. Then I reminded him of what he taught me: laughing at our mistakes is less painful than getting upset.

“I’ll tell my own goofy story, Verna.” And in an aggravated mood, dad told me how in Arizona, he followed the map exactly as planned. But he didn’t know that, at one point while mom was napping, he had the map sideways and drove north for an hour when he should have gone east. “I don’t like going the wrong direction, and I lost two hours. Let’s go get that compass – now, before I forget.”

Another time, I was overseeing a building renovation project. One of our electricians was new in the electrical field, and was perplexed. “I don’t get this.” he exclaimed. “It just doesn’t look right.”

I reviewed his drawing, then looked at the wall he was wiring. “Joe, you’re looking the wrong way. Turn around, and check it out.”

Joe turned, looked at the wall, looked at the print, looked back to the wall, uttered a few unrepeatable words, then said, “Sorry man.”

“You’re okay, Joe. I’m glad you stopped to get help. It’s always easier to ask for help than to correct an error.”

I’ve made directional mistakes, too. In January of 2015, Carol and I visited my brother and his wife in Lakeland, Florida. One afternoon we went sight-seeing in another town. On the way back to Lakeland late at night, I made a wrong turn. Getting off at the next exit, I made what I thought was the correct turn. But it put me back on the same highway – going the same direction. I tried three times, and got the same results. I didn’t know the freeway layout, and just couldn’t seem to get it right.

I started to get aggravated and ask Carol if I would ever get off this road. But dad’s words came back to me: it’s less painful to laugh than to get upset. So, seeing the humor in it, I began to laugh. Then the words of a song by the Kingston Trio in 1959 came to mind, and I began singing the chorus. It was about a man who didn’t have money to get off the subway in the Boston mass transit system.

“Did he ever return? No, he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned.

He may ride forever ‘neath the streets of Boston as the man who never returned.”

Carol began laughing with me, and we eventually found our way back to Lakeland.

Well, I found out that I still make directional mistakes. Our television developed a problem, so we bought another one – an inexpensive 32-inch flat screen. I programmed it and made sure everything worked properly. But it wouldn’t change channels when I pressed the channel button.

I contacted the company, and they gave me some information. Situation solved … or so I thought. It still wouldn’t change channels.

Carol, my wonderful helper, said, “You did something wrong.”

It may not surprise you to know that husbands don’t like to hear those words. They may be true, but we still don’t like to hear them.

After talking with an expert in the field, I realized that the remote controller couldn’t talk with the television because I had the receiver box pointing the wrong way. My precious was right: I did something wrong. With a pink face accompanying a bit of embarrassment, I turned the box around and the system worked perfectly.

Sometimes we humans face problems in life because we are emotionally turned the wrong way. We might be stubborn, arrogant, or ignorant, and won’t listen to wise counsel. Instead of correcting the situations, we compound the situation and make things worse.

But if we relax, let go of our pride, and seek counsel, God will help us figure things out. Gaining wisdom as we study the Psalms in the Bible can enable us to adjust our attitude, then the Lord can guide us. The Psalms and Proverbs are loaded with wisdom. Start there.

And if you ever find yourself facing the wrong way, turn around at the earliest opportunity, but don’t get upset. Laugh about it. Laughing is less stressful – for everyone.

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