Job 23:12 - "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food"

I am sitting here enjoying the company of my two year old son, and watching Winnie the Pooh, and I had some thoughts about the main characters, and who they represent in our lives. It was kind of interesting to think about. Piglet, who is my favorite, would definitely be the one who lacks what todayís world would call "self esteem". He finds his smallness, and really humanity, as a weakness. He draws strength only in the fellowship he has with his friends in the 100 acre woods. How much of us need the strength of fellowship and sense of belonging?

Pooh would be the one who definitely lives for the pleasures of today, thinking nothing of tomorrow. The only worries he has is in regards to todayís honey pot, and what it can do for him. The only thing that it can do is provide the temporal satisfaction of a full tummy, and a nice taste. How many of us are guilty of living this way?

Rabbit is the fun spoiler, and the party pooper of them all. He always is thinking of tomorrow, and what he can do to make tomorrow more secure. He is so tied up in it, he forsakes much of the fun of the day in order to be ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow may never come, but if it does, rabbit will be ready for it.

Roo is the child of the bunch, and the most fun. He finds fun in all that he does. This is as we should be, child like and innocent in all we do. He has simple faith that people are all good, and that no matter what he will have fun doing what he is doing. The big reason he has this faith, is because he has his mama Kanga, who provides all the security and love that he desires.

Kanga is God our father, Roo is should be us, the child who takes each day as it comes not worrying much about what tomorrow will bring. His biggest worry is what the weather will be like, and if he will be able to play outside.

We each have some of all the above in our mental D.N.A. What we must do is cultivate the Roo in us, so that we are always childlike in our faith and taking pleasure in the smallest things of life. Rabbit has his strength in being able to think of the future, which is good as long as it does not totally take over our thoughts. Pooh knows how to have fun and enjoy the things of this world. We are to do just that, but with keeping a healthy perspective on it. Easily enough we can get caught up in the honey pot, and neglect the things of eternity. Piglet is my favorite, because he is me in a lot of ways, and I would venture to say he is you to at times. We all have our insecurities, and we all have our need for fellowship.

As you venture out into the 100 acre woods today, think if how you can cultivate the Roo attitude. I suggest regular prayer, programmed and not, all day. Pray for the person next to you in line, the friend in Iraq, the single mom who just started at your work. Prayer is powerful, and it keeps us relying on our Kanga father, not the people around us.

Contributed by Carl Holmes - http://gci.gospelcom.net/dw/2003/12/28/


••• Monday, December 29, 2003 •••