Do you know your A,B,C's

Do you know you’re a ,b, c’s

"212 degrees of Fidelity, Today and Beyond"

There are two essential lessons every Grand Master, Worshipful Master and leader must remember and apply when serving others. The first lesson is:

Everyone does not desire to know what you know.

The other lesson is more challenging to

learn and apply. This is the lesson of your

A, B, C’s.         

                                       

The year was 1975 and our family was living in Atwater California. My father was stationed at Castle A.F.B. and I had just reached the age to attend the youth group at the Base Chapel. Excited about being in the “elite group”, I was eager to inform everyone of my vast knowledge which I had gained in 13 years.  I was thrilled to learn that the youth group visited a nursing home once a month to share Christ and sing a medley of songs. We practiced for several weeks and a date was set for our visit. Although the songs we had selected were not familiar to our audience, we were received with open arms. Yes everyone appreciated us attending and sharing. Our leader’s then challenged us to visit with the residents and share what Christ had done in our lives.

Here was my chance to expound knowledge

upon the masses! I would go from room to

room and tell everyone everything. However each

room I visited had another youth there

engaged in a conversation, so I walked the

halls until I happened upon an old man sitting

at a table in front of a window.

I barged in and began to tell the gentleman

everything I knew and what he needed to do.

He just smiled and said “I know my A, B, C’s.”

To which I responded and said, “Ok, but let me tell

you what I know.”

He listened patiently and then when I thought he would respond as I had determined to be the appropriate course of action, he smiled and said “I know my A, B, C’s.” Undeterred by his inaction to respond I doubled my effort by increasing my volume and I began to speak franticly. Again his response was the same. A fourth time I barked my vast knowledge, now completely out of breath and patience, his response was the calm and reserved; he just smiled and said “I know my A, B, C’s.”  It was then I decided to listen and I said ok sir “please tell me you’re A, B, C’s.” Then with the patience of Job he said “please sit down and allow me to share my A, B, C’s:

A- All things work together for them that know the LORD

B- Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved

C- Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me

D- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

E- Each one walking in his uprightness

F- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever    believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

G- Go ye therefore and teach all nations

H- He that hath an ear let him listen what the Spirit saith unto the churches

I- I am the bread of life

J- Jesus sayeth “Suffer the little children to come unto me.”

K- Keep me from evil

L- Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation

M- Make thy face to shine upon thy servants: save me for thy mercies sake

N- No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

O- Open my eyes that I may see

P- Pray ye one for another

Q- Quench not the spirit

R- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

S- Stand firm in the Lord

T- The grass withereth, the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand forever

U- Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift my soul

V- Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep

W- Wait on the LORD, and keep his way

X- Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: 
but if it die,it brings forth much fruit.                        

Y- Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Z- Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree so that he might be able to see Jesus

Now 43 years later the lessons I gained through listening to a Senior Saint share the gift of the A, B, C’s have stuck with me. Additionally I became aware that to learn you must listen. Yes everyone does not desire to know what you know, but if we listen to their point of view often they will respond and listen to our point of view. Today we live in the information age and society is more connected, yet we have become a disconnected people. We are disconnected from family and one another. People do not listen today, they are too busy texting, e-mailing, or rushing off to another meeting. Children today are being raised by “Sponge Bob”, “Dora the Explorer” and a host of television shows that do not have the ability to listen. I believe in my heart it is time to become reconnected with each other and listen. Have you ever noticed the great lengths to which people will go when they want to do something? If somebody is determined enough to be somewhere or do something there is nothing on earth that can keep them from being there and doing that particular thing. Tragically we often get in the way of some of life’s greatest blessings. I thank God that early in my life, that 13 year old child listened, because if I had not listened I would have missed a blessing.

Often when obstacles or difficulties arise excuses are not far behind. Perhaps you or somebody you know have made statements like these: “Well, I would read the Bible, but I’m just too busy.” Or, “I would go worship God, but I work six days of the week and I need one day for myself to rest.” What do statements like that actually say? They say that something is more important to that person. 

Consider Zacchaeus he had a desire to see Jesus, however the crowd was too large and his stature was too small. Rather than return home rejected and dejected he set his sight down the path to find a sycamore tree, an avenue for him to see and listen.

                                                                               

Often today we cannot get someone to sit down for five minutes to listen, to share our day, or to attend a church or civic meeting. It has been projected that for our next general election less than 30% of registered voters will cast their vote.  Imagine if like Zacchaeus they had to climb a tree to vote, how many concerned citizens would even attempt the difficulty?  A sycamore’s branches are long and strong enough to bear extended weight. The key is Zacchaeus was willing put forth the effort to listen because this was a priority.

I would like to challenge you to learn you’re A, B, C’s and then when the opportunity presents itself share them in your circle of acquaintance. We do not have to look for opportunities to serve. What we do need to do is to listen and embrace the opportunities in our lives. Opportunity for growth occurs through the storms of life. Brethren, storms will always be on the horizon.  What do you see written below?

TBHLEESSTSOIRNMG

Let’s start with the letter B and remove every other letter and find what we see

B  L  E  S  S   I  N  G

                                      T  H  E  S  T  O  R  M

Consider the ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have storehouse nor barn; and GOD feedeth them: how much more are you better than the fowls?

Listening, giving a kind word, and sharing you’re A, B, C’s reminds us of God’s grace. Imagine how connected humanity would be if we would open our hearts and listen. Listening will require us to stop walking away. We may not have to climb a sycamore tree, but we will have to leave our comfort zone. Yes the storms of life assail each one, and when we listen to each other we become aware of their circumstances providing us an opportunity to bear one another’s burdens. I cannot promise you that you will always know what to say or how to assist those you meet in this pilgrimage of life…but I can promise you that when you pause and listen you will receive as much of a blessing as the one whom you came to comfort will receive. Because, in 1975 I entered the room of a nursing home with one purpose; and I left with a blessing, the gift of the A, B, C’s, and a friend. Returning each month I found myself listening, and learning. I also had the opportunity to share what was going on in my life. I often recall those conversations, and smile and thank GOD for the blessings I received through listening.

When the storms of life come and the thwarting   wave’s crashing are preventing you from hearing a sparrow sing…and you cannot feel the melody of life…recall from the recess of your heart the lesson of the A, B, C’s. Because I assure you God sees and he is listening, yes there is a secret place full of grace! There is a Blessing in the Storm.

Perhaps the lesson of the A, B, C’s can be summed up as:

A-  Attitude - Have a positive attitude

B-   Believe -  Believe in GOD, Believe in yourself and live your faith

C-   Commitment - Stay the course by remaining faithful to your calling

“Lead by example, remember leaders influence others by example

Not by authority or position.”  Jay Adam Pearson

Your friend and Brother from Inman

Jay Adam