Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26, NIV)

There are many things in this world that most people find to be beautiful or exciting; things that bring a swell of appreciation or satisfaction. Majestic trees, rolling plains, and towering snow-topped mountains bring travelers from afar just to view them. Amber waves of grain stir the artist in one way, and the farmer in another. Each has their own, personal emotion and association with the scene spread out before them. The artist thinks in terms of form, color, and texture - the farmer recalls the planting, the weather during the growth stages, and anticipates the harvest.
Truly, we don’t all like the same things, or see the same meaning in them. As a beekeeper, the sight of a swarm of bees marching into the hive, flowing like a living river, means that they have accepted their new home, and the queen bee is probably safely inside the hive. Opening a hive while a “honey flow” is in progress (the bees have nectar and pollen sources to feed upon) is a beautiful sight in my opinion. There is an order, a purpose about their actions, as they go about their work. The thrill of seeing white-capped honeycombs means sweetness ahead for the beekeeper, and food for the bees through the harsh winter.
Most people, though, see only a stinging insect, best left alone, and honey is to be bought at the store.
Sometimes the beekeeper spots trouble in the hive. The words “queenless” stirs the beekeeper into special action. The queen is the mother of the hive; she is the glue that holds it all together. Without a queen, there will be no young bees, and the colony will soon die out. There is a sense of disunity, a lack of purpose that can be felt by the experienced beekeeper. They are saying by their actions, “We are in trouble here!”
When they are without a laying queen, and no fresh bee eggs, they are powerless to do anything about it. But I am not a bee; I have resources that they know nothing of. I can do things that are impossible for them. I can restore a new queen for them. By a simple action (for me) I can make the difference between life and death for that colony of bees. All they have to do is accept my gift.
So, also, can God do things that are impossible for us. He has given us Life Eternal, in His Son Jesus Christ. All we have to do is humbly and earnestly accept that gift.

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26, NIV

Quickly, now! Express the concept of the word “impossible” in a proverbial saying. Here is my offering: “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” Granted, most thoughts don’t tend toward the topics of either silk purses or sow’s ears these days, but it is a good old saying that expresses the idea that something is - well - not possible!
Many years ago a meat packing company took great pride in boasting of the total utilization of one of their products, to the extent that they “used everything but the squeal.” I’m not sure what else they could do with pig’s ears besides make doggie snacks. I have not heard of a packing company selling silk purses. However, the idea proved to be just too tempting to another company, one that took challenges seriously. Somehow, they processed the cartilage in pig’s ears so that it became sort of like a plastic, the same type of substance that is spun into nylon, rayon, or - silk. And, you guessed it! They used their sow’s ear-become-threads to make a ‘silk purse.’ Just to show that it could be done, that it was indeed possible to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Here are some exercises for the mathematically inclined among you. Consider that the word “impossible” contains ten (10) letters. That means that two letters - ‘im’ - totally controls the other eight letters. That’s right, two out of ten. One-fifth, or twenty percent. So much for the the maxim that the majority prevails! Follow me? Take the majority letters “possible” and add just two more. That is all that is required to stop something dead in its tracks. Impossible, you say? IMPOSSIBLE!
Consider , also, another way to stop things dead in their tracks with those same two letters, and the addition of one small symbol that is not even a letter. It is called an apostrophe. Just a dot that got squished, like this - ‘ makes im into I’m, a phrase with lots of potential. Potential = possibility. Still with me? OK, I’m going to explain what I mean. And, no, I’m NOT going to repeat it.
Ahah!! Did you see that? The addition of that itsy bitsy apostrophe made two words, totaling three letters, into one word with power. I am becomes “I’m.” Consider how often those three letter, either in their original form or the contraction, are mated with three more letters which really puts the brakes on things getting done. I’m NOT! I am NOT!
I’m playing letter games. Yes, I am. But many people are quite serious about making I’m NOT = impossible. Think about it. Consider how often you hear (or use) I’m NOT! Quite often, I’m sure.
Impossible? When I’m trying to make it on my own, yes. Let me give you three more letters that make all things possible.
GOD!
April 13, 2003