Perfect Provision

Despite the common assumption, Pastor Joe knew that his parishioners in Dimwit Junction were not stupid, but just had a unique way of thinking. Still, whether the setting was in church or otherwise, he never knew what they would say. This was particularly true one day when Joe was discussing his recent sermon with a few members of his church.

He had just preached a sermon about God’s especially designed plans and provisions for each of his children and Dimmie Henry had a question.

“Pastor, I was wondering about what you said in your sermon. You said God has not only designed everything for us but also provided for all our needs even when we seem to lack something?”

“That’s right,” Joe returned.

“How does that work?”

“Well, let me see if I can give you an example. Sometimes when someone is blind and can’t read well but wants to study the Bible, God might help them develop their sense of hearing and concentration when they listen to a recording of the Bible. Or maybe if someone’s sense of taste is very poor God might give them an extra keen sense of smell.”

“Hey – I know what you mean!” Henry brightened. “If someone has a short leg then his other leg is always a little bit longer!”

Dimmie logic aside, God’s provision for our needs is indeed perfectly designed to fit us as individuals. Also, while we may not be blind, or lack a sense of smell or even have uneven legs, we may have some other sort of disability or difficulty that requires correction or at least compensation and that’s where we see God at his best. For it is a perfect demonstration of his loving character when we experience his provision of exactly what we need and when we need it to perfectly do his will. You might even say that as we do his will his provisions give us a leg up!

“Wow- look at that!” Horace pointed to the TV screen. “That guy’s going to jump!”

They all turned to the television to see a camera picture of a man perched on the ledge of a downtown office building with the usual crowd down below him and the police and others trying to talk to him. Then the picture shifted to a reporter who faced the camera and described the situation.

Henry began to smile as he turned to his friend. “Say, want to make a bet? Ten bucks says the guy doesn’t jump.”

“It’s a bet.” Horace responded and they resumed eating pie, drinking milk and watching the television. Then suddenly the camera caught a sudden flurry of activity behind the reporter. Fred, Henry and Horace watched intently as the camera crew swept away to pan the building and then take a close-up as the man on the ledge suddenly stood up and hurtled himself out into space. The crowd and rescue personnel below surged forward to surround the figure now lying on the pavement. Horace turned to Henry and held out a hand. Henry paid but instead of putting the bill in his pocket Horace grimaced and handed it back.

“I can’t take your money,” he admitted. “I saw him jump earlier on the six-o’clock news.”

Henry waved away the bill. “No, you keep it. Actually I saw it too, but I didn’t think he’d do it again!”

Dimmie logic might have implied a fellow could leap twice but while that’s certainly not likely, repetition is a definite problem in our spiritual lives. We all have the tendency to repeat the conduct and thoughts that not only hamper our service for God but could even be called sin. Yet the wonderful truth is that even though we fail and then even repeat our failures that never means it is the end of our service or relationship with God. For he is always ready and waiting for us to confess the fault and start up again with renewed purpose ­ fully restored to a fellowship with our Heavenly Father.

The desert outside Dimwit Junction was a desolate area, but there were always a few Dimmies who lived there. Locally called desert rats, they often built a shack and made a living as best they could. Yet despite their desire for solitude they were still had the Dimmie way of thinking. While non-Dimmies were often confused, Dimmies themselves had no problem understanding each other. This was particularly evident when Dimmie Joe met Dimmie Henry.

Joe was on his way back home after getting supplies in town and he was about half way home when he encountered Henry.

“Howdy, Joe.” He paused and then had a question “Why are you carrying an umbrella? Think it’s going to rain here in the desert?”.

“Big joke!” Joe scoffed. “I’m not as dumb as you think I am. I’m carrying an umbrella because it can protect me from the sun.” Then Joe pointed to what Henry was carrying. It was a car door, complete with crank operated window and bright red finish. “You think I’m silly carrying an umbrella but at least my reasons are logical. Even by Dimmie logic it’s dumb to carry a car door, especially when you don’t have a car to go with it!”

Henry sniffed and frowned. “It’s not so dumb. I have my reasons. If you must know, I’m carrying a car door so if it gets too hot out here I can just roll down the window.”

We may not think like Dimmies but there are times when like Harry we carry around something we don’t have to – like a problem we should have given to God.

Think about it this way - pretend your problem is like a heavy stone. Each morning you heft it on your back, and then set out in your regular routine taking it along. You carry it with you all day, and even take it to bed at night. You can’t go anywhere or do anything without the pressure and weight of the stone, nor can you make any plans or even enjoy life because you’ve got to carry the rock. You want to get rid of it but you’re not sure exactly how do to it.

Then suppose someone came along and offers to remove the stone - no strings or questions, just an offer of perfect freedom.

Still, somehow though you know you want to accept the offer and remove the rock you just can’t give it up. The one making the offer is still there and ready to take it but you’re just not ready to give it up. Maybe you think it’ll disappear someday or perhaps you think it’s just something you’ve got to learn to endure.

Then eventually perhaps one day you get to the point where you find you can’t live with the stone anymore. You want relief and you’re ready to accept the offer of removal. Then when it’s removed you’re free to stand erect then walk away from the stone in gratitude and freedom to serve the one who released you.

Got a rock/problem? As the current saying goes – you know the drill – what are you waiting for?

Was the nightmare of what he’d done really over? As he started the engine, the memories came flooding back.

Since Clarence was a scientist he was very familiar with cloning and that was why it was so easy to do it. And who better to use than himself? The result was perfect. In fact, it was almost as if he had a twin, but of course his clone was even more like him than even a twin could be. Then, because the clone was indistinguishable from the original, Clarence occasionally sent him as his substitute at social events he couldn’t attend or wanted to avoid. Also, since the clone had all his expert knowledge Clarence had sent him to address and work with other scientists when he couldn’t do so. .

However, while his clone seemed to be a perfect duplicate there was one difference which Clarence first discovered when he met a friend who had a question.

“Have you been having stress lately, Clarence?”

“No, not that I know of. Why?” Clarence responded.

“Because when I saw you at that party last week I was surprised when you used some rough language. Never heard you do that before. Made me think you might be having some kind of problem.” Then Clarence remembered he’d sent his clone to that party.

That was strange, but Clarence didn’t think much more about it till he spoke with another friend, this time a fellow scientist. “Clarence, what’s going on with you? When I saw you at the lab yesterday and I’d just said hello when you swore at me and walked off?” Yet as he spoke Clarence was stymied. Since he hadn’t been at the lab yesterday and it had to be the clone!

So apparently though the clone was identical to Clarence in most ways, there was a difference – he used profanity. Then Clarence knew it was a serious problem when a fellow scientist had a warning: “I don’t know what’s going on but your foul mouth is going to get you in trouble with the boss.”

So what could he do? He couldn’t risk anyone finding out about the clone, but also he couldn’t let the clone’s swearing ruin his career. That’s when he realized he had to do something drastic.

As he pulled into his driveway Clarence relived the last few hours and remembered how he had located the clone, put him in the car and drove out of town to the hills. There he led him to the top of a cliff where it only took a quick push and his troubles were over.

Back in his driveway, Clarence stopped the car and turned off the engine, then sat for a moment behind the wheel, relieved that he had solved his problem.

Thunk!

Clarence looked out to see a figure looming up beside the car, tapping on his window. The man’s beckoning finger was an indication to open the car door and get out. Still in shocked surprise at the unexpected, Clarence emerged from the vehicle. The man displayed a badge.

“I’m Detective Smith and we’d like to talk to you.” He told Clarence. “Where have you been just now?”

Clarence was speechless.

“Mr. Clarence, we know you and another man went up the hill and you returned alone. We also had a camera with a telephoto lens and we got great pictures of what you did to him. You’re under arrest.”

Clarence found his voice. “But that wasn’t a real person – he was…”

“Oh, we know about what you did in the lab.” Detective Smith told him. “And that’s why you’re being charged with making an obscene clone fall.”

Though Clarence’ problem was unique as was his plan to eliminate it, in the end it didn’t work and the same things happens when I try to eliminate a problem or fault without God’s help. It usually occurs when I start a new project for him, then when the fault or problem arises I think I can either ignore or try to overcome or solve it myself. Of course that never works and not only do I waste my time and God’s but it only delays what he wants me to do.

So what can I do? The first step of course is to recognize and acknowledge the problem, confess what might be a sin and then let God show me how to handle it. Then when I do that I can move ahead without the hampering dilemma and when I do that, my problem is a pushover!

“I really do.” Ginger began to line up the silverware on the table. “The people are very pleasant.. but….” She paused as if wondering how to proceed. “It’s just that they seem well,… dumb.”

“All non-Dimmies say that at first.” Helen smiled. “But then I’ve been here long enough to know they’re not dumb. It’s just that they have a unique way of thinking. But you’ll get used to it. Anyway when some of my neighbors wanted to meet you and I said I’d have them over someone suggested we all bring something. A potluck dinner we used to call it.”

Ginger had another question. “So, was it hard to get used to the Dimmie mindset?”

“Yes, it did take time.” Helen reached out to straighten the candlesticks. “What was most confusing was how Dimmies don’t understand the real meaning of what we think of as common expressions. They take everything literally.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, when I first arrived in town and wanted to sell some extra furniture and clothing I had, I put it out and put up “Garage Sale” signs around the neighborhood. Then the first person that came by wasn’t interested in what I had for sale. Instead, he asked how much I wanted for my garage!”

“Weird!” Ginger said.

“No to a Dimmie – just logical. After all, I was advertising a ‘garage sale.’ I should have realized how they were after that, but I got the point later. The next weekend I took my stuff out of the garage and put out signs that said ‘Yard Sale.’”

“And someone wanted to buy the yard?”

“You got it. So you see what I mean. And I do believe our guests have arrived.” She turned to the sound of the doorbell.

Several minutes later a half dozen of the Dimmie guests had arrived and the dining room table bore an assortment of casserole dishes and platters of food. Ginger looked in each of the containers so she could group the food on the table, but when she lifted one casserole dish it seemed strangely light. A quick glance under the lid revealed why.

“Helen, this dish is empty.” Ginger whispered.

Helen looked at the dish. “Who brought it?”

“I think it was Dimmie Mary.” Ginger looked over at their guests who were chatting together.

Helen stepped over to whisper to Mary, then returned and nodded as Mary turned back to the others. “Naturally with Dimmie logic she brought her part of the dinner.”

“But what….?”

“We’ve been saying potluck dinner, but she says someone told her it was a ‘covered dish dinner’ but since no one said there had to be anything in it, she followed Dimmie logic and brought - a covered dish. Covered – but empty!”

By non-Dimmie standards, Mary may have been confused by bringing an empty container but God has a task for me that’s exactly how he wants me to be – empty of my own ideas and plans and ready to follow his. Of course I could save myself the trouble and follow God’s perfect plans but often my way seems so much better! But of course they are not and my futile and human notions can never match his perfect ideas and patterns for my life. Also, I soon learn it’s so useless to think I could ever “help” him since he knows all aspects of the challenge and thus plans perfectly.

No, when I take a covered dish to a potluck dinner it wouldn’t be empty but when I offer myself for God’s service that’s exactly how he wants me!

The captain picked up the clipboard with their flight plan. “I just told her that first class didn’t go to New York.”

That young lady certainly encountered a barrier to her purpose, and I find it’s often the same on my spiritual journey –especially when I attempt to plan my own service for God instead of waiting for his indications. It might occur when I get an idea for some way to “help” him then as I plunge ahead I encounter barriers. Another example might be when I get my own idea for an article then I find the words just don’t flow. Or maybe it’s a new teaching or speaking opportunity I think would serve God but it never materializes. Or maybe I think I’m sure to get a new responsibility at my job and it never happens. I soon realize that what I had planned wasn’t what God wanted me to do.

However, occasionally I start a new challenge and there are no barriers and events flow smoothly in sequence. When that happens I can only assume that God is behind it and when I work in his timing and plans, then I often see wonderful results I never imagined possible. And then – unlike the lady in our story – I may not be on my way to New York but when I follow God I certainly do go first class.

Several months later as Fred was coming out of his house one morning he heard the honk of a horn. Coming into the driveway was a new chrome laden gleaming white sedan with a beaming Bernie at the wheel. He braked to a stop and jumped out.

“How you like it? I just picked it up at the dealership.”

Fred bent down to look at the luxurious leather interior. “I didn’t know you were getting a new car.”

“I didn’t either until I got a letter yesterday from that car factory over at Dimwit Junction. I thought it was strange but then I remembered what you said about them having a funny way of thinking. But I’m certainly not going to complain since I got a new car out of it! Here’s the letter.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded letter which he handed it to Fred as well as a handkerchief that he used to polish an unseen fingerprint off the side mirror. Fred unfolded the letter to read:

“We received your shipment with the enclosed instructions. Though you didn’t explain what happened to your car, we have determined that it is unfortunately behind repair. However, our vehicles are unconditionally guaranteed, so we are providing you an entirely new car.”

Though he didn’t understand Dimmie logic, in a way with his new car, Bernie certainly received an unexpected benefit and that can happen to us when we rediscover how much greater are God’s plans then ours. It often starts when we decide to operate outside his will and follow our own ideas, leaving him out of our lives. Of course when we do that we don’t make much spiritual progress.

Of course when that occurs we know the only solution is to gather up our pride as well as the damaged and twisted mess that we’ve made of our lives and return to God as we seek his presence. When we do that we find that God will not only forgive our deviations but forget them as well. Then when we’re back in his plan and following his will, we experience his full restoration and we experience again the perfection of all he has planned for us.

“Yeah I know what you mean,” her husband replied. “I heard someone say that the Dimmies aren’t stupid but just have a unique way of thinking, so you just can’t be sure about their radio reports. Oh, well, they do play nice music.”

A few minutes later, there was another bulletin – this time from a reporter at the scene. “This is Dimmie Horace at the scene of the tragic plane crash north of Dimwit Junction. Here’s the latest: a small two-seater plane was attempting to land at the airport when it missed the runway and crashed into the nearby Resthaven Cemetery. The area where the plane went down was recently dug up so the plane is nose down in a pit. Rescue crews have arrived on the scene. That’s all I have right now, so we’ll return you to the studio. Be sure and stay tuned for the latest updates.”

Lorraine continued with her housework and waited for further news. Then after an hour, the music was interrupted by another report. “This is Dimmie Horace again at the scene of the plane crash at Resthaven Cemetary and here’s the latest. Authorities have determined that the plane’s pilot was Dimmie George and his son Dimmie Henry was his passenger. Rescue crews are continuing to dig at the crash site. Oh, here’s the Sherriff, Dimmie Jim! Let me see if I can get him to give us a statement… Oh, Sheriff! This is Dimwit Junction Radio – can you give us a progress report on the rescue work here at the cemetery?”


There was a pause and another voice came over the air. “It’s a great tragedy, Horace! In fact, this could be the worst air disaster in Dimwit Junction! Our rescue crews have been hard at work – and they’re already recovered 30 bodies so far – and we’re expecting the number to climb!”

“That’s terrible!” the reporter gasped. “But what about the pilot and his passenger – Dimmies George and Henry?”

“Oh, they came out just fine – and in fact they’re assisting with the recovery effort!”

That’s silly of course, but like those Dimmies I’ve also acquired a habit of digging up what should have remained buried and often what I resurrect are past faults and failures that should remain hidden! Whether they’re actually confessed sins or not what usually happens is that I just can’t seem to forget that I’ve failed in some way – and in particular failed God. Of course, it’s all so futile because if I’ve confessed my faults then God has not only forgiven them but also forgotten them. So why should I continue to remember and dwell on what God has forgotten? Moreover, why should I be wallowing in the past when God’s challenges await me in the present and the future?

So unlike the Dimmies I should let the dead remain buried and remember that if God isn’t concerned about the dead past then why should I be?

Hot Stuff

“How do you like my new boat?” Horace asked.

“It’s okay, I guess.” Henry used both hands to steady himself in his seat They’d been out on the lake now for an hour and Henry really wasn’t enjoying himself since he didn’t care for boats, and especially didn’t like being out on the water. However, his best friend Horace loved boats, so because of their friendship Henry had agreed to join Horace on this first “voyage.” So there they sat in the new acquisition – a canoe of sorts that was often called a kayak.

“You’re going to have to paddle on your side if we’re going to go anywhere.” Horace told him.

As Henry gripped the paddle and began to apply it, he became aware of the mist that was drifting across the lake. It was cold!

“It’s freezing out here!” Henry told Horace through gritted teeth.

However, to Henry’s surprise, Horace wasn’t lost for a solution. He reached forward to a small box Henry hadn’t noticed before and extracted what looked like a square metal box with a grill of sort on one side. “Here, light that up that boat heater and you’ll get warm.” Horace shoved it at Henry. “I got that from a buddy who invented it and he didn’t say how it worked, but I’m tired of your griping! The instructions are on the side.”

Hesitantly, Henry followed the instructions, placed the devise on the bottom of the boat and soon a stream of warm air was flowing out of the grill.

“That’s better, but it’s getting too warm. Shouldn’t you have a metal plate for it to rest on? I mean it’s getting awfully warm and this is a canvas… hey – that’s glowing – and there’s a leak!”

Henry didn’t get any further because the canvas floor of the canoe started to glow, then a wisp of smoke floated up from a tiny black edged slit that was getting bigger! Within a few seconds the leak had expanded enough that the trickle became a torrent, and soon the kayak was overwhelmed and was filling with water. After a few moments, the canoe disappeared under the surface and Horace and Henry were treading water. A half hour later they were back on the dock, rescued by another boater who was fishing nearby.

“Now what are we going to tell the guys?” Henry asked as they slowly trekked their way back to the car to head home. “After all, you were bragging so much about your new boat!”

Horace opened his car door. “We’ll just tell ‘em that I’ve learned you can’t have your kayak and heat it, too!”
That’s silly, of course, but Horace certainly realized that he wouldn’t get anywhere by trying to improvise a solution to a problem. Furthermore, that’s something I’ve also learned on my spiritual journey, when I try to come up with my own answers and not depend on God. Nevertheless, like Horace discovered that not only doesn’t accomplish anything and can even aggravate the problem, since we can only try to apply imperfect human solutions.

Of course God’s responses are as perfect as he is and since he can see all aspects of the problem he knows exactly how to handle it. For my benefit and his glory.

Anne Adams, Author of "First of All, a Wife: Sketches of American First Ladies"