|
I Am New
"There is
nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
My third job as a teenager (the one right before I went into the Air Force),
was as a box boy for McCoy's Markets, in Bellflower, California. One of the
other box boys was named David, and I remember him well. We nodded and said
"Hi" to each other, as guys do, and that was pretty much it. Except
for a couple of things that just didn't "compute" then, and I still
don't understand them now.
I lived in Lakewood and was essentially a middle class kid. An anomaly was
that I dressed like a "hood" of the time (peggers, duck-tail haircut,
turned-up collar, and so on), and was flunking out of high school. I thought
nobody knew about my record in school, but in retrospect, the way I dressed
might have given other people a "clue" about me. David dressed
something like I did, but he was from East Los Angeles, and I have no idea how
he was doing in school.
One night, after the usual "Hi," David beckoned to me, and drew me
into the hallway that led past the bathrooms and to a door into an ice locker of
the market. He was looking around furtively as he drew me further into the
hallway, which made me nervous (I was only dressed like a "hood" - he
was probably for real).
From somewhere, he drew out something that was wrapped loosely in newspapers
and he started to unwrap whatever it was. It was a plaque indicating membership
in a car club. In those days, members of a car club (today we would call them
"gangs"), would advertise their allegiance with metal plates or
plaques suspended by chains from the rear bumper of their cars. This particular
plaque had a large raised metal skull right in the middle of it, surrounded by
the legend, "Skulls of East L. A."
I was touched with awe and was more than a little concerned as to what this
was all about. I took it into my hands and I presume the newspapers fell to the
floor. David told me I was "an honorary member of the Skulls of East L.
A." and further, "If you ever need anything, just let us know."
That plaque was really "neat" and I took it home, though I never did
put it on my car. It must have ended up in my parents garage, and I have not
seen it for years.
A few nights later, something similar happened. David drew me into the same
hallway, there was another loosely wrapped item, but this time, when the
newspapers fell away, it was a gun! Not one like I had ever seen before, but it
was a gun. It was what they used to call a "zip gun", consisting of a
metal pipe the bullets were to pass through, and a hand-made wooden hand grip,
held to the pipe with lots of black electrical tape. There were two or three
22-shells, right next to it.
I entered into something like shock and wouldn't take it into my hands. I was
shaking my head at the gun, with palms outward, and to his disappointment, never
did take it from him. He nodded as he wrapped it back up into the newspaper, and
said, "If you ever want someone taken care of, just let us know." I
said "OK" (wondering who "us" was), but I had no such
intention, and was backing out of the hallway as fast as possible.
Soon after, I managed to graduate from high school "by the skin of my
teeth" and joined the Air Force. To my knowledge, I never saw David again,
though I did look over my shoulder a few times, wondering if "they"
were back there somewhere, watching out for me. This was the second notable time
that a stranger or strangers had unexpectedly and unilaterally decided to
protect me, and I decided as a teenager that life would contain many surprises.
It certainly has.
Solomon said "There is nothing
new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9) but he
simply did not understand that God would send a Messiah (Christ, Anointed One)
to rescue us and make us new in His love. We are rescued and made new through
Him. Paul said, "If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things
have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Better
than a "New Year", we are given new life in Him.
He also said love "bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; love never
fails" (1 Corinthians 13:7-8). He offers HIS
love, given to those who simply TRUST in the Son of God.
Why did David the box boy, come to me and want to help me? I do not know, but
I do know that Jesus Christ has come to me and given me – everything! He has
rescued me from my very nature and He looking at you with eyes of love right
now. He has sent His Spirit, and what you and I cannot do, He will do in us, for
we are SAFE in Him.
Solomon thought there is "nothing
new" and he was depressed about his failures. He
should have listened to his father King David, who said of God, "He
put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;"
and the result is always, "many
will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord"
(Psalm 40:3). Paul saw it too, for as he said, "If
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold,
all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Solomon attempted to live life in his own strength and understanding, which
caused him to become bitter and depressed. King David always turned to God in
his failures and he found the joy of the Lord. Paul was a bitter, angry man, who
found Christ and was literally made new in Him. Such a change is available to
you and to me. We need His change. We need His love. We need the Son of God.
Father, we’ve tried to make life "new" and it just has not worked
for us. Jesus, we receive You now. Send us Your Spirit, and change us into the
persons You would have us be. We ask for David, the former box boy; we ask for
ourselves, and we ask for those others You have placed into our hearts right
now. Make us new in Christ. In His Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
|
