Jerry

Is Work Your Crutch?

If you were to lose your job, your business, or the contracts that you are relying on for a steady income would you be crushed? What if the many people who you have acquired as friends, co-workers, and/or customers were all of a sudden removed from your life due to unforeseen circumstances that you have no control over? Would you be lost in depression? If so, then consciously ask yourself: “Is work your crutch?”.

In 2015 my wife and I listed our business for sale. We decided to try to sell the business because we both knew that once I had my hips replaced, I would likely be unable to continue in the same line of work due to the reality that it required me to climb ladders and go on roofs. We were unsure if our small owner operated business was even worth anything or whether it would sell because it was set up comparatively to the way most self-employed practices are; the owners (much like a doctor, chiropractor, or lawyer), are the face of the services provided. People were used to dealing with my wife and I. Would anyone want to chance buying our business? Meh!

Neither of us saw any way around the uncomfortable decisions we were faced with concerning our very successful niche market business. It wasn’t an easy decision for us! We entertained the idea of building the business bigger and training the right person to provide the same services that I was skilled at performing. We reasoned that we could share in the everyday duties of answering the phones, booking appointments, providing quotes. We also concluded that we could add to the mix and expand by acquiring new and bigger contracts.

Growing the business would have made sense to any entrepreneur. After all, expanding the business bigger could have been a great opportunity to free ourselves of the manual labour involved while still providing the great income we had grown accustomed to. However, while entertaining the options we decided to list the business with a broker and see what comes of it. If the business sold we would take the cash and consider the sale a doorway to other opportunities. If it didn’t sell, we would go ahead with the training and expansion while waiting for the bilateral hip replacement operation that was looming in the future.

In August of 2016 we finalized the sale of our business. The funds were all transferred on closing day and the terms of training the new owners had begun. It was a new beginning. My wife and I were excited about the future and what would be in store for us. We didn’t know what we would do, but armed with a mitt full of cash from the sale of the business, some profitable revenue properties, and the skills we had acquired being in business gave us a feeling of assurance that things would be ok.

While working with the new owner we began the quest for “new opportunities”. It was during this quest for opportunities that I came belly to belly with this probing question: “Is work your crutch?”. I have been in this game way too long to ignore the significance that work has in life, that it has had in my life. Whether you consider yourself a hard worker, a smart worker, or both; can we agree that there is a great degree of significance derived from work? Perhaps even prestige or feeling of self-worth?

What is the one question that is asked most frequently when we meet someone for the first time? Why do people ask,”What do you do?” Is it not a link that joins you to your worth in the mind of the inquisitive one? And if it is a link in their mind is it possible that it is a link in your mind? Do you derive your feelings of self-worth from the work that you do? Is work your crutch? Be honest with yourself. If your own conscience accuses you, are you willing to go through a renovation process?

Is your crutch your friend?

I trust that you’ll agree that this is a good question to ask. Is your crutch your friend or foe? Your hand up or your hindrance? Your advocate or your antagonist? Before you answer this hastily, consider thoughtfully how and why you would come to such a conclusion.

Understand why you feel so surely that the thing or things you have come to rely on so heavily are in fact the reason for you to continue as if they will never change. If you are unwilling to entertain the idea that the very things you have considered to be a constant in your life could and will at some point change, you may be in for a very rude awakening when this thing called life takes a turn.

A while ago I came across a quote from a well known author that went something like this: “The world continues to turn, and focus changes from act to act, but some things always remain the same; the weaknesses of men, the power of God, and the continual changing of the stage”. Can you agree that this pretty much sums up this life? All things considered, every one included, we will live and die as insinuated by the truth in this quote. The Psalmist put it this way: “we spend our years as a tale that is told” (Psalm 90:9).

With this reality I’ve painted in view, can you honestly say that the crutch you have come to rely will become your advocate in the end? Are you convinced that the things you have acquired, or accomplishments you’ve attained, or people you have come to rely upon for your contentment will stick? In keeping with this post, is your crutch your friend?

Obviously I am convinced without a doubt that my Crutch is my friend. My Crutch is there for me every time I slip, for every walk I take, and will be there for me when it’s time to retire this stage called life. He lifts me when I am weary, guides me in the darkness, and talks with me along the way. If you cannot say the same, I would consider it a privilege to introduce you to my Friend Crutch.

My Crutch has the uncanny ability to replicate the very benefits to you that he has granted to me just as though it was for you alone. If you’ll have Him, my Crutch will show you why any other crutch is a thief and a liar. My Crutch is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Consider this thoughtfully…Is your crutch your friend?

What’s Your Crutch?

What’s your Crutch?

No really, what’s your crutch? In March of this year I had bilateral anterior hip replacement. In other words both of my hips were replaced during the same operation with new ones. It was quite the operation and one I really wasn’t looking forward to. However, looking back it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in order to advance my quality of life.

Before my operation it was very difficult to even walk more than one block without great pain. Now, I walk about an hour every day, and ride about an hour every day. Things have been going great since the operation! However, in order to get to the point where I could perform the exercises, ride the bicycle, go for a nice long walks etc, etc….I had to spend time with my little friend I call “Crutch”.

“Crutch” got me to thinking. Many people, when you tell them you are a Christian insolently call Jesus a crutch. Some Christians take offence to such a statement. I however cannot agree more, Jesus is a crutch! But is a crutch a bad thing or a good thing to have and avail for use?

After going through my operation the idea of having to go it alone without the aid of a crutch is a painful thought. In fact, I daresay that not having “crutch” there during the initial stages of recovery would have made life miserable. A crutch is meant to make walking bearable and in fact possible for those with crippling impediments.

My point? We are all crippled and resort to a crutch to cope with life. A crutch may or may not be negative. Maybe your crutch is a bottle, or a job, or your significant other. It might even be the money you have, the car you drive, the house you own, or maybe even the likes you get on Facebook? So what’s your crutch? What drives you to get up everyday? What is your why? What are leaning on while you walk this path called life? If you’re honest with yourself as you read this; you will admit (even if only to yourself) that you have a crutch.

So again I ask, what’s your crutch? Now, how long can you lean on your crutch? Will your crutch bring you to a point of a healthy walk both now and forever? If you are unsure, then why not exchange your crutch for “The Crutch” just as I did? I hope “the crutch” will become your best friend ever too!

What Is Truth?

“What is truth?” Pilate (John 18:38)

There are many voices in the world today; some are good, and some are just plain bad. It is the opinion of the author of Run With Truth that there are entirely too many false ideals about what is true. The Truth has been changed into a lie (Romans 1:25) and as a result many are fruitlessly pursuing the fulfillment that only truth can bring.

The results of men destitute of the truth are akin to that which we find written in the sacred pages of history and the Bible. In the Old Testament scriptures we read: “but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). This is what we are witnessing taking place predominantly across the globe. Can there be any dispute over this observation?

Consider the immoral and corrupt laws that are being passed in the name of the greater good of humanity as a whole and you should be close to concluding similarly as Isaiah the prophet: “judgement is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street” (Isaiah 59:14).

There you have it; It’s not a pretty picture. If we stop right there we are forced into a miserably dark corner feeling helplessly subservient to the whims of what ever! If we analyze truth in this relative form the obvious conclusion is that any one claiming they have the truth is merely a liar. For, if your truth is opposed to their truth, then someone is not telling the truth. Muddy water isn’t it?

To bring an end to this bitter dispute over what is truth there must be an absolute. If truth is relative or subjective in any form then it is not truth for the reasons already stated. If truth is relative, then such is the case concerning freedom. It is entirely necessary for one to understand these diametrically opposed concepts if truth is to be heralded and freedom to be absolute. Selah! (means “think on these things”)

We are still left with the question then aren’t we? What is truth? It is my great privilege to introduce the Truth to the destitute picture of humanity I just painted. Obviously, if one is to analyze my statement in context with the prior ones made there can only be one conclusion: this writer believes the Bible discloses the truth. If you have come to that conclusion “Bravo”!

In the King James Bible the word “truth” is found in 222 verses. Truth is not a lightly used word throughout the Scriptures. It describes the concrete absolutes of God (Deuteronomy 32:4), the Lord Jesus (John 14:6), the Holy Spirit (John 15:26), and the Bible as God’s Word (John 17:17). You would not be hard pressed to find many more references whereby the truth is attributed to God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), and the Bible.

If it was enough to know these facts one might resign themselves to the comforting knowledge that the truth can be found in the Bible if nowhere else. The sobering reality is that the Bible does not stop at describing truth in these forms. It holds us accountable for the knowledge of the truth clearly defined within its pages! Consider this statement “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil” (Romans 2:8, 9).