As summer storms are prone to do in the DFW area, we
recently had several storms pass through our area dumping hail, and producing
strong winds and tornadoes. To the
average citizen this is a tragedy, but for news stations across the metroplex
it becomes a gold mine of TV and radio coverage. Meteorologists kick into high gear using
tracking devices, touch screens, and radar computers with constant coverage stating their best guestimates of when and where the storms will be. After
the storm passes, every available reporter is tasked to find a broken down
power line, a house with missing shingles, or even told to simply stand in a
puddle to get just the right sensationalism for the story.
As I drove to work I was listening to the radio coverage from
some sweet lady reporter who had been given the assignment to cover the storm from
the local hardware store. Bless it… I am
not sure how far down the reporter food chain she was…but surely this was the
first rung on the ladder to news desk anchor.
Her job was to interview patrons going into the store asking them what
damage was done to their houses and properties.
She thought she had hit the radio news jackpot when she saw a man with a
flat-bed cart. Surely this man has a
tale to tell – and what luck, she was there to get the scoop.
She began the interview asking the man what
damage he had incurred. He began to
speak of his damaged roof, blown out windows, a toppled down fence, and leaking water in several rooms of his house. Then, after giving the story time to develop,
with excited concern the reporter asks, “What supplies are you picking up today
to manage the repairs?” The assumption
was that with such damage and his huge flat-bed cart this man must be tackling many
giant repairs and surely they could talk about what would be needed to make all
these repairs. I could tell she felt
that this might turn out to be a 2 part story complete with commercial break … radio
news gold.
Imagine her surprise when the
man replied, “I’m here to pick up some mulch.”
Radio silence… severe awkward no.one.is.speaking.moment. - not the stuff of radio news gold. This poor reporter was stumped and didn’t
really know how to recover. Thank
goodness it was radio because I imagine her blank stare would not have made a
good impression on all the HD TVs of the world (I however had a wonderful laugh
out loud chuckle at the whole thing).
Finally she said, “Mulch?” to
which the man… confused at her confusion… said ever slower “Yes…mulch…(long
pause)…the stuff you put in flower beds.”
The reporter shot back to reality and tried to recover by redirecting
him saying “Ok – so you are getting mulch for your flower beds… and… is there anything
else on your handyman ‘to do’ list today to make repairs to all of your storm damage?” The precious man said, “Nope. I can’t do much about the fallen fence,
leaking roof, or blown out windows – the insurance people will have to work all
that stuff out…but I am focusing on what I can do… The storm and rains washed out all the mulch
from my flower beds so I am going to work on that…I can do something about
that.”
Yep…there it was. My
laughter quickly turned to my own “radio silence”… reflecting about what I had
just heard.
Unlike the man in the radio interview – who took inventory of
his problems and then purposefully chose to tackle the one he was equipped to
carry out - I tend to take on all the problems of the world. I stuff my life back pack full of all of
life’s burdens and worries - my heart and mind carry the problems others have,
the problems of this world, the worries I have over my kids, my job, and daily
routine worries. I get overwhelmed with
“what ifs” …and I sit there and allow all of it to just flood and storm over
me. In my pride of thinking I can handle
it all, I rarely stop and ask if these are problems and burdens that the Lord
wants me to carry.
This is not how I
know the Lord wants me to function. He
wants me to humbly admit that I am not in control and lay at His feet those problems,
worries, and “what ifs”. (typically this
is a moment by moment task for me) He wants me to acknowledge that He is God
and I am not. I then have to trust that
in my talking and listening to God in due time He will show me what (if
anything) He wants me to take action on.
There are lots of
problems in this world – they are fierce and they are real. Some of life’s problems are solved with a
quick text, phone call, or email. But
some problems need my action - focused and devoted time and energy. It should only be after I have prayed over the
problems, that I seek where it is God wants me to do some work. There is freedom
in being focused. There is bondage at my
scattered attempts to try and take on and tackle all the worries and problems
that press in from all around.
The Lord
wants to shine a light in the area where He is already working and equip me to
join in. He wants me to turn over and
tune in: turn over what is His to bear, and tune in to where He wants me at work. I want to be about my Father’s work. When life’s problems and worries press in, my
prayer should be, “Lord is this my flower bed today?”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He
may exalt you. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
