When Things Get Under Your Skin

A poem called "The Oyster" has been floating around the Internet. It challanges us to consider the kind of attitudes we have toward life:

The Oyster

There once was an oyster whose story I tell,
who found that some sand had got into his shell.

It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain,
for oysters have feelings although they're so plain.

Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate
that brought him to such a deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government, cry for election,
and claim that the sea should have given him protection?

No - he said to himself as he lay on a shell,
since I cannot remove it I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around, as the years always do,
and he came to his ultimate destiny, a stew.

And the small grain of sand that had bothered him so,
was a beautiful pearl all richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral, for isn't it grand
what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do if we'd only begin,
with some of the things that get under our skin?

Having the right attitude toward life is shown by the attitude Joseph learned to have in Genesis 39:19-21. Even after being thrown in prison for a false accusation, Joseph did not allow his poor circumstances to destroy his relationship with God. Even in prison the LORD was with Joseph. Might this have something to do with Joseph’s attitude toward life (cf. Gen. 50:20)?
We must learn the art of making lemonade when life hands us lemons.

A Wise Old Bible Student

“A Wise Old Bible Student”

by Jonathan Jones II

A truth-seeking man studied God’s Book,
While studying, inside himself he did look.
Only his own will for years had he sought,
He had not served God, in the way that he ought.

For years he had tried to find ways out,
Avoiding obedience, taking a rebel’s dark route.
Often he claimed, the Bible doesn’t say not to!
Now broken and searching he read the old Book anew.

No longer was he seeking to justify himself,
Looking to know God he approached his bookshelf.
Opening the Bible, God’s will he would obey,
No longer would he do everything his own way.

What does God want for me and my life?
This was his prayer, “Bring peace amid strife.”
God’s word would guide all his days left ahead,
But there were many things that the Bible left unsaid.

God’s silence once gave him permission to do,
anything and everything that he wanted it to.
But now this man genuinely wanted to know,
“What has God said? Which way should I go?”

One thing was for certain, God must be held above all,
He is the Master and Lord, before Him we must fall.
With purpose God speaks and intentionally he rests,
Treat God as holy, two of the sons of Aaron can attest.

God says what he means, don’t go beyond his Word,
When we listen and obey God’s holy name is honored.
Blessed is this man who puts God’s will always first,
Speak in God’s silence, the gamble may end in a curse.