Learning to Trust the Master

By Max Lucado

A man and his dog are in the same car. The dog howls bright-moon-in-the-middle-of-the-night caterwauling howls. The man pleads, promising a daily delivery of dog biscuit bouquets if only the hound will hush. After all, it’s only a car wash.

Never occurred to him—ahem, to me—that the car wash would scare my dog. But it did. Placing myself in her paws, I can see why. A huge, noisy machine presses toward us, pounding our window with water, banging against the door with brushes. Duck! We’re under attack.

“Don’t panic. The car wash was my idea.” “I’ve done this before.” “It’s for our own good.” Ever tried to explain a car wash to a canine? Dog dictionaries are minus the words brush and detail job. My words fell on fallen flaps. Nothing helped. She just did what dogs do; she wailed.

Actually, she did what we do. Don’t we howl? Not at car washes perhaps but at hospital stays and job transfers. Let the economy go south or the kids move north, and we have a wail of a time. And when our Master explains what’s happening, we react as if he’s speaking Yalunka. We don’t understand a word he says.

Is your world wet and wild?

God’s greatest blessings often come costumed as disasters. Any doubters need to do nothing more than ascend the hill of Calvary.

Jerusalem’s collective opinion that Friday was this: Jesus is finished.

Such is the view of the disciples, the opinion of the friends, and the outlook of the enemies. Label it the dog-in-the-passenger-seat view.

The Master who sits behind the wheel thinks differently. God is not surprised. His plan is right on schedule. Even in—especially in—death, Christ is still the king, the king over his own crucifixion.

Can’t he do the same for you? Can’t he turn your Friday into a Sunday?

Some of you doubt it. How can God use cancer or death or divorce? Simple.

He’s smarter than we are. He is to you what I was to four-year-old Amy. I met her at a bookstore. She asked me if I would sign her children’s book. When I asked her name, she watched as I began to write, “To Amy …”

She stopped me right there. With wide eyes and open mouth, she asked, “How did you know how to spell my name?”

She was awed. You aren’t. You know the difference between the knowledge of a child and an adult. Can you imagine the difference between the wisdom of a human and the wisdom of God? What is impossible to us is like spelling “Amy” to him. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9).

I keep taking Molly to the car wash. She’s howling less. I don’t think she understands the machinery. She’s just learning to trust her master. Maybe we’ll learn the same.

From
Next Door Savior
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

John 4:3-30

Look who's back!

I'm sitting here at my desk in school writing reports.

Yes, those report slips you dreaded to show your parents at the end of school term because you feel like ending-it-all-syndrome. Look, teachers dread it too... we hate making judgements, especially when it involves putting pen to paper.

Maybe you had some of these words describing you? Here's what they really mean if you are a parent. (just for laughs okay! i'm stressed remember i'm doing close to 100 comments/ reports)

"@@ is a pleasure to teach and her work is outstanding. She contributes positively in class and shows continual interest."
i.e Your daughter is a lovely and brilliant girl. Thumbs up for your parenting skills!

"@@ is a polite and willing student who has worked hard to achieve above average results."
i.e Your child is courteous and is such a joy to teach!

"@@ has achieved good results through maturity of attitude and consistency of effort."
i.e Your child works hard and does not complain! Give her a treat!

OR

"@@ tends to work erratically and consequently has not achieved a result that @@ is capable of."
i.e Your child is a pain.

"@@'s lack of self discipline in class activities has resulted in a poor standard of work."
i.e He is not doing his work.

"@@ is too easily distracted in class. If greater effort is made next semester to complete all set work, this grade could improve."
i.e Too hyper, give him less sugar for breakfast.

"@@ needs a more organised approach to ensure that all assignments are submitted on the specified date."
i.e Your child needs a file, instead of handing in pieces of scrap out of the bottom of his bag.

"@@ refuses to apply himself fully to the tasks he is assigned either in class or at home."
i.e It would be better if he just stayed home.

And all the other euphemisms teachers use.
expressive= talkative
polite= quiet
enthusiastic and lively= disruptive and noisy
confident= back chatting all the time
responds to incentives= loves bribes

lots more here ...

What the Teacher Says--> What the Teacher Means

Poor attendance is affecting performance -->I think I actually saw your child one time. Long black hair, black clothes, black trenchcoat, smells like cigarette smoke? If you could send in a photo it might help me recognize him if he comes to class again.

Oral communication needs improvement -->Your child's entire vocabulary appears to consist of 117 curse words and two pronouns.

Oral communication has improved -->Your child learned a new curse word this week.

Well-suited to a career in public service--> The phrase "Would you like fries with that?" will be very helpful in your child's future. Have him practice it on a daily basis.

Basic math skills are deficient--> Unfortunately your child can't add one plus one even with a calculator.

Wears inappropriate clothing -->Being dressed like a fifteen-year-old prostitute is probably the reason your daughter got frostbite during the fire drill last week.

Lacking necessary course materials -->Your son lost another textbook. The replacement is $50. Should we put it on his tab?

Parental reinforcement recommended -->If you'd talk to your child for just a few minutes at least once every other month, then maybe it wouldn't come as a complete surprise to find out that she's failing all her classes.

Comes unprepared to class -->No textbook, no pencil, no notebook, no calculator, no homework. Does bring his Nomad Jukebox everday, however.

Does not follow directions well--> In the off chance that your child was actually listening to what was being assigned in the first place, he would refuse to do it anyway.

Follows directions well -->Actually did what was asked for once! Nearly caused a disturbance in the Force.

Written work needs better structure--> If I could read your child's writing, then there might be at least a chance I could grade it.

Written expression is problematic -->Needs to learn that complete sentences typically contain more than one word.

Poor performance on fitness tests -->Puked after walking one lap. Does he ever turn off the vidoe games and get off the couch?

Laboratory skills are deficient -->Lit the student next to him on fire while playing with the bunsen burner.

Please telephone teacher--> Your child's behavior and performance are so far outside our standards that we actually don't have codes to describe him.

Differentiated instruction has been given to student--> I put his lazy butt in another room and and told him to actually attempt to do something for a change.

Student should edit his/her writing more diligently -->The plagiarism was way too easy to catch.


Disrespectful toward teacher and peers--> Your son is a nasty, foul-mouthed, immature, disrespectful brat. Any chance you're moving any time soon?