Why do we laugh when we see someone fall down? Comedians go down all time and we always chuckle.

Recently, I went for a walk up on the hill from our house. Snow covered the road but unfortunately ice had covered it before the snow got to it. I was walking happily along, listening to someone on my MP3 when suddenly—slip, slide—my arms flailed wildly trying to balance things, then– ka-boom! I found myself in a painful heap on the ground.

I had two feelings. “Wow! That hurt.” The other one was, “Hope no one saw me.”

Once when we were in Luxembourg, I rode my bicycle to the post office right before lunch. The sidewalk in front of the Post Office was a good bit higher than the street but instead of stopping to get off, I decided to rely on my acrobatic skills and hop the bicycle up on the sidewalk in one smooth motion.

A lady was coming my direction but I had plenty of time so I aimed the bicycle and pulled up on the handle bars. The lady would probably be impressed by my skill. Only, I didn’t time it right and I crashed into the side of the sidewalk. I flew over the top of the handlebars, landing heavily on the concrete.

Ouch! That hurt. I wondered if something might be broken.

Then I remembered the woman coming my direction and the thought flashed through my mind that after having witnessed such a terrible crash, she might be calling the ambulance. As I glanced painfully up at her, she was laughing!

Laughing!

I was dying and she was smiling! So much for the milk of human kindness. I felt kind of silly after that. Falls may be funny to see, but they’re not funny to have.

I went walking again a few days after my most recent falls and I assure you that I stepped carefully in the ice and snow. I slipped a couple of times but I kept my feet because my guard was up.

How about your spiritual life? Is your guard up? I know you’re doing well but are you watching where you put your foot?

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” 1 Corinthians 10:11-13 (The Message)

This is a good time to take stock of your life. Are there areas of temptation or weakness where you need to put up a twenty-foot stop sign? Do it! ” … if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (NIV)

You and I are just as capable of screwing up as anyone. Don’t be stupid and say, “It’s no problem. I know my limits. I can handle it. It’s not really a problem. I know it’s not good, but I’m okay. My tongue is a bit undisciplined but it’s not that bad, etc. etc. blah, blah, blah!”

STOP! Take stock of your life. Watch your step. Ask God for His power because without vigilance we can find ourselves in a painful heap on the ground. The worst is, we don’t fall without hurting those around us. Sometimes we pull them down with us.

And, that’s not funny, not funny at all.

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Hmmm…

Everything you need you must first conquer in the spiritual dimension, par faith. If you do that you’ll be astonished at what you can do.” Pastor Cesar Castellanos

It’s a “business as usual” morning. His mom had called him three times before he finally fell out of the bed, exhausted from eight hours of sleep.

You know how it is with mamas. The first time she chirps, “It’s time to get up,” you grunt to give evidence that you’re alive and that you haven’t died from “sudden teenager night death syndrome.” But you don’t have to move yet so you sink back into oblivion. The first yell is kind of like the snooze button on the alarm clock.

The second time she yells, “Get up or you’re going to be late!” you can stay in the sack a little longer, but you need to be cautious. It’s a bit dangerous, depending on the mood she’s in that day.

When she screams the third time, you can stay in bed if you’ve got a death wish but it’s better to get up.

So our mumbling adolescent stumbles into the waking world. After a long shower and about twelve blasts of, “You better hurry up or you going to be late!” he finally comes alive. It’s time to put on his aftershave … after shaving off his four whiskers, of course.

“Axe! Ah, look out girls here I come!” He slaps on the cologne, thoroughly soaking all the skin-covered portions of his body, much as a steady three-day rain saturates the earth. The smell wafts out of the bathroom and sets off his mother who remembers that she hasn’t yelled in the last two minutes. “You better hurry or you’re going to be late!”

But he hasn’t finished. His hair! Ah, the masterwork is about to begin. The bathroom is littered with his tools—grease, hairspray, foam, gel, glue. Ah, maybe that’s not glue. After 30 minutes, and an increasingly frantic chorus of, “You better hurry or you’re going to be late,” repeated at 30-second intervals now, punctuated with blows on the bathroom door, our hero emerges from the inner sanctum to face the world.

Spikes protrude in odd directions from the top of his head. Actually those are hair spikes but it’s better not to touch them because they could make a hole in your hand, blowtorched into place as they are with three fourths of a can of hairspray, augmented by a bottle of hair gel and who knows what else?

Flies and mosquitoes stop in mid-flight, stunned by the shockwaves of cologne fragrance, then fall lifelessly to the earth.

He’s ready to attack the day. He spent 10 minutes on his math assignment last night and four hours on video games, television, chatrooms, etc. “Hey, you gotta have priorities. If you want to excel at something you’ve got to put your heart into it,” he thinks as he admires his appearance once more before dashing out the door with his mother’s cries ringing in his ears, “You better hurry or you’re going to be late!”

Fact is, if we want to do something well, really well, excellent even, we spend a lot of time and effort doing it. We discipline ourselves. We decide what we want to do and we spend our time doing it. Even if it’s the desire for good-looking hair, we put our heart into it, as least as long as our hair holds out.

A little question. Think about your life. What do you spend you time on? What cranks your engine?

David wanted to excel in knowing God.

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you;  my soul thirsts for you,  my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Ps. 63:1, NIV).

David excelled in desiring God’s Word.

“I was up before sunrise, crying for help, hoping for a word from you. I stayed awake all night, prayerfully pondering your promise.” (Ps. 119:147, 148, The Message)

“I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.” (Ps. 40:8, 9, NIV)

Assembling with God’s people inspired David.

“When they said, ‘Let’s go to the house of God,’ my heart leaped for joy.” (Ps. 122:1)

Israel counted David as their greatest king and his heart, which aspired to be the best, was a key. I doubt if hair spikes or cologne were his thing. He gave everything to be excellent in knowing God and the things God called him to do.

Think about your life. What are you giving time to? What gets you excited? If you don’t like the answer, ask God to help you change.

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Hmmm…

“You know what the wolves call the sheep who strays away from the flock? Lunch!” (Bayless Conley)

Ah, but this thing is slow ! As I write, it’s Friday morning and my virus checker is running in the background.

Down in the bowels of my computer this program is poking around, looking in hidden closets, and generally sniffing every program like a drug-finding dog. It’s after viruses and Trojans and who knows what else?

It’s also a pain, because my computer runs sloooooooooowly during this time (101,768 things checked to this point. 82% done). Sometimes I type a word and it’s a few seconds before it appears on the screen because McAffey is using so much of the memory.

I’m always glad when it finishes and leaves me alone, so I can get on with my work at regular speed. I’ve been tempted to stop it at times but I don’t. Know why? Yup, I don’t want any viruses (and I don’t want to send you any either).

In our day and time, you have to check for viruses. It’s a fact of life.

Today is the third of January. Have you run your virus checker yet? I’m not talking about on your computer, but have you checked up on your life?

We don’t always realize it, but little bugs can sneak into our system as we go about our life, and they slow down our response to God. Our someone can sneak a trojan into our heart and he begins to collaborate with the enemy outside of us. These are often thoughts like, “If God really loves me, then why this?” or “That fellow is supposed to be such a good Christian, but look at him!” or “It’s just a little thing. I’m only human. I know it’s not good, but it’s harmless!” Or …

Virus checkers! What a pain. But oh, how necessary. How long has it been since you took an hour or two and really did some thinking about where you are in life? It’s good to ask questions like, “What has God put me on earth to do? Am I doing it? Have I let in any attitudes that keep others away? Am I bitter against anyone? Do I need to forgive someone? Am I growing closer to the Lord or am I a bit cold? How can I improve my relationship with the Lord? With my wife? With my kids? With my boss and others at work? That ignorant neighbor! What can I do to be more effective?”

Then come up with a plan of action. What am I going to do differently in each of these areas? Someone said that the silliest thing in the world is to do the same old thing in the same old way and think you’re going to get a different result. What are you going to do?

Attention all passengers! This is where the plane generally crashes. We lose weight until the first time we’re confronted with a dangerous piece of coconut cream pie which forces us to eat it. We get up a bit earlier to have some time with the Lord, until the bedroom gets so cold and the covers so warm. Then we stay in as long as we can until dreams of unemployment drive us from the comfortable womb of sleep.

One of the fruits of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the fruit of  self control. Most of our good intentions don’t make it until January 15 unless we have the power of the Lord in our lives to help us.

The good news is that He will help you if you ask Him to, then depend on Him for the results.

Our virus checker packs a double punch. God’s Word—

“Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account,” (NIV)

joins God’s Spirit—

Ps. 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”

to hunt out those things that ruin our lives and our relationship to Him.

Ah, the virus scan just finished. No viruses! That’s good news. But I wonder if the Holy Spirit scanned my life, if He would find me so clean. I need to take the time to do for a scan. Get the viruses out and the good habits in. Why don’t you take a little while to run a scan yourself? It’s a great way to start the new year.
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Hmmm…
“I don’t try to live a balanced life … I try to do the things I’m created to do, the things I’m gifted to do, the things that I’m passionate to do! … Balance is a very Buddhist thing …Jesus said, ‘put first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.” Erwin McManus.

There’s a new discussion on marriage on the site. Look to the right and click on “You Talk Back” if you’re interested.

One of the nice things about having visitors here is that it gives me an excuse to show them the city of Paris. Otherwise I have to work.

Just before Christmas I took two Brazilian pastors into the center of Paris to look around. One of the men pastors a church in northern France while the other came from Brazil to visit him. The visitor remarked, “When I talked to my wife on the phone, and she heard that I was visiting Paris, she said, ‘Paris is romantic!’”

I took the Toyota that day. I had been hearing a funny sound in the motor and I had thought to myself, “I wonder if that alternator belt is loose—or if the alternator is going out.” But the sound wasn’t too bad and it didn’t seem to be getting worse, and I’d heard it a long time, so I didn’t worry about it. It would probably get better, huh?

That day Paris Christmas decorations were dampened by a cold rain but for those seeing it for the first time it’s still impressive—a cappuccino next to Notre Dame cathedral beats Starbucks any day.

Darkness falls early in December and I wanted to show them the Avenue des Champs-Élysées then go home. We wandered around looking for the right direction (I’m good at wandering). We got snatched into a traffic jam which moved forward with glacier-like quickness.

The funny noise in the motor of the car started to get funnier—or scarier according to your perspective. “Hmmm, maybe we better head towards home,” I announced to my friends. Finally as we crawled onto the Place de la Concord, which is situated at the bottom end of the Champs-Elysées the belt for the alternator/power steering/water pump, and various and sundry other important functions, gave way.

“Uh, oh!” I looked frantically around in the slow-moving, honking mass for a parking place. Finally just to my left I saw a bus parking area and pulled into it. I figured a friendly policeman would see me, and when he came to scold me I’d get him to call for a wrecker. Two hours later there was still no policeman. Why aren’t they so invisible when I go 15 kilometers per hour over the speed limit?

We called a brother in the church to come help and waited … and waited, because he was caught in a traffic jam too. Here we were—Place de la Concorde—people come from all over the world to look up the Champs Elysée from this Place at the gaudy Christmas lights, illuminating one of the most famous avenues in the world, and ending in the awe-inspiring Arc de Triomphe.

I wasn’t too inspired. We were a long way from Paraloma, Arkansas (where I grew up). My feet were damp, it was dark and raining, I didn’t know how we were getting the car home, and I was afraid it was going to cost a fortune to tow it. So much impressive beauty and such a lost feeling.

“Paris is really romantic,” I grinned to my Brazilian friend.

Well, to shorten a long story, we made it home. The car windows were all fogged up from the rain so after about two hours we decided to have a prayer meeting on the Place de la Concorde. Those Brazilian guys can really pray. After a short time, our prayer meeting was interrupted by the brother from the church who finally broke through the traffic jam.

And then suddenly a wrecker just showed up out of nowhere. He had been going to get a cup of coffee and saw this forlorn Toyota with its mouth (hood) open, so he stopped to help.

At the end, though, I still wasn’t super happy. I had just experienced a lot of adventure and I wondered if the Lord wasn’t trying to teach me something. It seems to me that some comic-strip super hero used to opine at times like this, “There’s a lesson in here somewhere.”

And I tried to see if the Lord was speaking to me in this trying circumstance. I could see the value of prayer from what happened; maybe that was it.

But I woke up in the middle of the night and I understood immediately what the message was: if your car is making a funny noise, get it fixed dummy! Sometimes, if something is wrong, human bodies get better all by themselves, but cars? Never. Cars don’t have white corpuscles or healing capacities. Get it fixed now and it will be cheaper in the long run.

Couldn’t help applying that to my life and to our lives. Is your life making a funny noise somewhere? Is there something wrong that you know you need to repair but you keep putting it off and hoping everything will be all right—your prayer life, your relationship with your wife or husband or kids? Your church attendance? That thing that God told you to do and you’ve been putting it off?

Are there funny noises coming from your work because you’re spending too much time surfing the Internet? Or maybe the Dallas Cowboys are more exciting to you than your wife? Your hearing a grinding noise (that’s your wife gritting her teeth).

“A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1, NIV)

The noise isn’t going to get better. Fix it! Now! Otherwise you will find yourself broken down somewhere.