A Million Reasons

 

Unpredictable is good

Over the last seven days I have been surprised by the way people react.

• Some people who I thought would understand or be sympathetic about an idea or concept were very dismissive...
• Some people who I thought would be critical turned out to be incredibly supportive!

Turns out that people can often act quite differently from the way that you think they will be. It's been quite an eye-opener this week. And I mean pleasantly. Because it has inspired this train of thought and therefore this post.

So why do many of us (self included!) worry about how people will react? Chances are, we may be totally wrong!

Life is rarely straight forward. Things change all of the time! Thus, each one of us is always trading off between the choices that have been good to us in the past, and exploring new options. If we never changed, we wouldn't ever try that new brand of cereal, or to eat in a different restaurant. Sometimes changes are imposed on us - your favourite cereal can't be found in the supermarket; that special restaurant closes down...

It's also part of human behaviour to adapt and do something completely different sometimes. It's part of our survival instinct.

Don't you know that you're toxic?

Some people seem to be blissfully unaware of the negative impact that they have. Or perhaps, they do, and they simply don't care.

They spread chaos, seemingly going out of their way to upset others, to 'push their buttons'. It's a laugh, they say. But I don't find it funny any more. Get me on a bad day, and I'd be quite vocal, I'd tell you that I'm quite fed up with it.

There's a name for these sorts of people. They call them toxic.

However, on pondering this for a while, I've come to the conclusion that it’s not actually that the person is toxic. And labelling them that way isn't helping...

It's the way they behave, their relationship with you that is the problem. It's the way that they seem to create drama, to manipulate or control others. Their choice of words, of actions

God give me wisdom, to deal with these people appropriately... and lovingly.

How Not To React

It's been a particularly grotty day. Yeah, totally unpredictable, and a whole lot of nasty stuff happening.

 

And for a change I'm seeking to rise above it. Trying awfully hard not to let it get to me. I have my feelings on a very tight rein. If anything, I'm striving to see the funny side of it. Can't quite see it at the moment, but I'm still looking...
 

This follows a bit of study I've done recently into my own responsibility for my own feelings. Let's face it, I don't have any control over some of the things that happen to me. I can't control the weather, for example. What I do have under my control is the way I choose to respond - with my own thoughts and feelings. It's raining... do I have to be unhappy about it? Listen to this, taken from one of my favourite blogs:

“You don’t HAVE to feel anything in response to ANYTHING anyone does. If someone steals your coffee cup you can be amused by it if you want. You can be happy about it if you choose. There are no rules other than the rules we set for ourselves and the conscious choices we make.” - Neil Hughes, ‘Walking on Custard and the Meaning of Life: a Guide for Anxious Humans’.

Finally, I keep coming back to the following chorus. Haven't the faintest idea why... I guess this is part of the way I'm trying to find a bit of humour in the situation... even in the most horrible of situations...
 

"When me mother says he can't go down the pub
Sister's boyfriend put his sister up the club
At the tomcats when they're kicking up a din
Tottenham Hotspur couldn't get one in
When me mother locks him out of the flat
When it's raining and he can't find his hat
In the mornings when his motorcar won't go
Next-door neighbour, when he won't give him a tow"
lyrics to 'Gertcha' by Chas & Dave (Chas Hodges / Dave Peacock). This is 'rockney' (mixture of "rock and roll" and "cockney"), a song about how a Londoner's dad might react to some low spots in his day...

A Thought For Today

Dare To Be Different, Choose To Be Careful

"I dare to be different, I dare to believe;

I dare to be different, God's Spirit receive.
I dare to be different, my life sacrificed;
I dare to be different by living like Christ."
(lyrics: Dick Grommenhoek)

I appreciate the need to live a life that is different from other people. Jesus sends his followers out to make a real difference in this world.

But we also need to be mindful of others. Not only being aware of other people's opinions or beliefs, but sharing your own with tact and diplomacy. We need to take care to do this wisely... remember, Jesus said:-

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16, NIV)

Sounds like quite a juggling act, doesn't it?

A snake is a keen hunter, wary, attentive, wise and yet still eager to learn. They possess tremendous subtlety, and yet with the ability to win against overwhelming odds.

A dove is innocent, harmless, meek and gentle. Remember when the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove?

The challenge - my challenge - is to find the ways of witnessing without apology, without giving offence.

And without abdicating the responsibility to others.

Be different. But be careful...

Tough Times Don't Last

I read a fact the other day about modern day family budgets. I really wish that I'd made a note of it when I saw it, because I didn't think I would have to quote it so soon in a blog post. Oh well.

The writer was pointing out that most families in the 1960s (the decade when I was born) still found life tough, however in those days most families had one family member working regularly full-time. In today's world, many families have to have both partners working, sometimes holding down two jobs, in order to make ends meet. I remember thinking - where have we as a society gone wrong? Is modern life really that much harder?

During the church meeting this past Sunday (which included the dedication of a child to God), we were reminded of exactly how much money it costs to bring up one child to adulthood. Over £200,000 apparently! See here.
 

Anyway, the other day I received an email in my inbox that continued to give me food for thought on this topic. It included the phrase:
 

"Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do"
 

Isn't that a terrific way of looking at life!

If you’re discouraged - and let's face it, encouragement is a rare enough commodity nowadays - there are one or two things you can do to counter those feelings.

Let’s say your neighbour arrives home with a brand new car. One way to react is with feelings of desire and envy. Perhaps you are already working out ways to get a new car for yourself.

But there is another way. Be positive. Give thanks to God for the car that you already have, which meets your family’s current needs. Realise that you don't need the pressures of taking out yet another car loan.

It's your choice. So choose how to think about it. Get tough with your inner self, cut out the negative thinking, and get positive.

Are you bemoaning the fact that you never have enough money? Try being thankful for the money that you do get. Life would be so much harder if you didn't have that...

Is this situation too difficult? Don't give up. Think of it as a challenge!

But it's too much for me to bear... if only I had more money? Everything would be OK then... More money is not the answer, it's how you manage it.

And situations do change... if you can make the right choices and stick with it, you can outlast these setbacks. You can do it.

Think about it.

Avengers: Marvel, Movies and Marshmallows

The other week, I went to see "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" with my family. Terrific, we all loved it. I definitely need a copy of the film for my DVD collection. I appreciated all the work that Joss Whedon and team put in to the production, developing some of the characters. I loved to see new members of one of my favourite superhero teams introduced and brought to life; characters that I had known since my teenage years as a young comics geek.

However, to tell the truth - if I had to find a fault it would be with the action sequences, well crafted though they were. There was just too much on the screen, so some of these were a little too much for me. Everything went by as a blur, particularly those shots where multiple Avengers were on screen at the same time. I'm going to have to sit down and watch some of these scenes again, just to pick up all of the detail.

I have since read other reviews of the film. One stood out to me. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said, "Although this movie is effective moment to moment, very little of it lingers in the mind afterward. The ideal vehicle for our age of immediate sensation and instant gratification, it disappears without a trace almost as soon as it's consumed."

Instant gratification. I want it now. Isn't that the catchphrase of the modern world?

Walter Mischel developed something called we now call the 'Stanford marshmallow experiment' to test gratification patterns in four-year-olds. In this study, children was offered a choice between one reward (say, a marshmallow) provided straight away, or two rewards if they waited for a short period of 15 minutes. He discovered that having an ability to resist eating the marshmallow immediately would indicate success in later life.

The modern 'action film' is fast-paced and breathtaking. Each new release tries to top the previous one. So, in order to attract a modern audience, new action movies need to be faster and have lots of exciting sequences, hoards of menacing foes, fiery explosions chasing people down a corridor. That has to be there to get the crowds in, I know. Yes, that particular 'marshmallow' is sweet - but I personally want something else from my films.

I want a good storyline. I want something to think about when I head off home. I want to be able to lose myself in their world for a couple of hours. I'm looking for emotion, for teamwork and, above all, for truth.

So, I don't see every movie that's at the cinema. I pick and choose something that's special to me. Something worth waiting for. Something that's definitely worth two marshmallows.

Oh, by the way, on the same day as I saw the film, I also picked up the DVD box set of 'Firefly', Joss Whedon's cult TV series. I'm currently working through the box. There's plenty there!!!

The Joy Of Missing Out

Through one of the weekly podcasts that I listen to, I've discovered a great truth. And it's based on the way modern society now works. On the FOMO principle. Hat tip to my friend, Don, who loves these sort of acronyms. :)

FOMO has been coined, because of the tactics of 21st Century culture. Because modern day life is filled with a variety of different opportunities. "Try this new product. Come and see this film. Visit our restaurant. We'd hate you to miss out." We are bombarded with ideas and images all of the time.

Sure, I've been sold things via advertising before. I've been subjected to it for pretty much all of my life.

However, here's the difference. Now they'll sell it to you with a large side order of guilt. You're going to kick yourself if you miss this." And it's not only the traditional forms of media that's giving me this message. I get it from my Facebook wall, from the emails pouring into my inbox. Friends will 'like' a particular page, thus producing an ad on my Facebook wall and trying to get me to come along for the ride.  "One last chance to join in. Hurry - this is your last chance. Don't be disappointed..."

It's FOMO they are spreading. The Fear Of Missing Out.

And technology makes it worse. Because we are increasingly aware of what others are doing, and sometimes in minutiae, we become terribly aware of all the stuff that we aren't doing.

Thankfully, one bright spark came up with JOMO.

The "Joy Of Missing Out".

The wonderful realisation that you are not going to be there because you have made a positive choice not to go.

The incredible power that you have when you realise you don't have to do something, just because everyone else is doing it. You can be different. It's more than OK.

The delightful feeling that you have turned down something that matters, because something in your own life matters a whole lot more.

 

If I can truly embrace this - then all of a sudden I am wonderfully empowered - to say No once in a while. And not to feel guilty about saying it.
 

If I can do this, then regret no longer has any influence on me.

Wow!

Choices

I don't know about you, but my brain is filled with hundreds and hundreds of possibilities.
Maybes and What Ifs, Could Bes and a whole load of Must Dos. All conflicting, all jostling for position.

The problem is - I don't want to do just one thing. I want to do them all. I want the new experiences, a whole load of the challenges, and all the regular stuff that I love to do as well. I want to live life to the full.

And that means I struggle between doing new things and carrying on with my existing commitments.
As I have already established in a previous post, I only have enough time to do some of what I can do. Or enough energy. So I need to choose, and choose wisely.

Let's say, there is something important in the list of things that you have to do. Wouldn't you want to do it? But you can't do everything. So, you'd need to drop something. In extreme cases, if the thing was very, very important, you'd need to drop everything else.

Attempting to pull yourself in too many directions is the single quickest way to failure. And putting your all into a single direction is the quickest way to success.

If you want to follow your dreams, you have to say no to all the alternatives. It’s not easy, but that's the price of success.

Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV)
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

I Don't Have The Time

"I'm sorry, but I simply don’t have the time.”

How often have you heard this? It's used as an excuse throughout the country at the moment, as political parties tap on our doors asking for our support in the forthcoming elections. You hear it in the streets as you're approached by assertive charity collectors asking you to sign their forms... And when you've been the recipient of cold-calling, as a way of ending a less-than-productive phone call...

But, do we make the same excuses to God? 

You see, this week I came across the following quotation from Professor Bruce Hindmarsh on a website:

"Busyness is moral laziness [because it is often a statement of our self-importance and our excuse to be inattentive to people] ... But God has given us just enough time to do what we need to do moment by moment to respond to him. And his grace is there; it is eternally present. Every moment is a sacrament where time touches eternity and there is exactly enough time to do what God has called us to do."

Sure, I am aware that time is finite. We all get the same - 24 hours in every day. it's how we use it that can make all of the difference. Because everyone finds different ways to fill their day - working, reading, playing games, watching TV, doing the crossword. And so on. 

And yet I still keep coming back to Martha and Mary, and to the events recorded in Luke 10:38-42. What we do is a matter of personal choice.

So why do some of us choose to be busy? Are we doing this because we like to brag, to show people how important we are? Because, surely, that's got to be wrong!

However, the sort of 'busyness' that the professor also talks about here is a way of avoiding a harder, more costly choice. A convenient opt-out - a way to avoid getting involved in something far more difficult. "Sorry, although I'd love to help out, but I just can't spare the time..." It's a way of saying "the things I choose to do are more important that yours."

Thus, an overflowing schedule may simply be a shield protecting you from the inconvenient, time-consuming needs of others.

And if God always gives us enough time to do what He calls us to do - perhaps there are one or two others things on your busy agenda that you'll have to give up, if you do hear His call. 

Your choice.

Just Say - Yes

I've been thinking quite a bit this week about last Sunday's message at the Hall. We were looking at Philippians 2:5-13, and exploring why we should be saying 'yes' to God. The scripture passage can be found here.

The fact that we can even debate the matter, speaks of something about God. He does not demand blind obedience - He allows us freedom of choice. He doesn't want us as slaves.

Who does Jesus call? Why, ordinary people like you and me. He can use you, and God has a unique and special plan for each of our lives. Each of us has our own unique talents that God asks us to share with others. God values all of these. And God will not ask anything of us that we are not capable of doing.

Perhaps it won't be an easy path - I am reminded of the many who have suffered and died for their faith. For example, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu could have lived a very rewarding and fairly comfortable life in a convent, but at the age of 36 God asked her to consider another path, which led her to work with the “poorest of the poor” in India. He didn't command her to go there, but He asked and she said yes. It was hard work - she had very little support and, even while she tried to feed and help the poorest of the poor, she herself was constantly hungry and even had to beg for food. However, she persevered - and now everyone is aware of the legacy of the nun we now know as Mother Teresa.

Now, obviously, we aren't all called to do to heroic things like Mother Teresa, nor to give up our lives like the martyrs. Like I said, He doesn't promise an easy ride. He never tells us that it won't be risky. There will be things you'll have to give up, to leave behind.

What will your answer be?

We could say "no".
We could say "let me think about it and I'll get back to you".
We could say "sorry, I'm a bit too busy now, perhaps later".
We could say "I’d rather do something a bit easier".

But the answer He wants to hear ... is "yes".

Buridan's Donkey

One of the podcasts that I follow regularly introduced me to the following paradox:

Buridan’s donkey is standing halfway between a pile of hay and a bucket of water. It keeps looking left and right, trying to decide between hay and water. Unable to decide, it eventually falls over and dies of hunger and thirst.

If he only could, the animal would realise he could first drink the water, then go eat the hay. But, in this scenario, he can't. He simply can't decide. And that is his downfall.

So, what's stopping me from doing anything that I want to do?

• Even if it’s humbling? 
• Even if there’s a steep learning curve? 
• Even if there is no guarantee of success? 
• Even if I'm afraid? 
• Even if the steps seem insignificant? 
• Even if I have to give it all up, and place my future in God's hands?

Perhaps I just need to make a choice.

(The donkey in question is named after a 14th century French philosopher and cleric called Jean Buridan. In reality, the paradox predates Buridan, and it probably came from Aristotle. But such is fame.)

When I pray...

“When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don’t pray, they don't. ” - William Temple

I was on the way home the other day, reflecting prayerfully on how God could use me over the next few years.

There was one simple problem - my own inability to see things from anything other than my own point of view.

God’s answer came in the form of a quotation that I stumbled across on an internet page. A coincidence, that I would encounter this page? I don't think so.

It was describing God’s perspective by comparing it to the three-dimensional chessboard that was featured in the original Star Trek series.

“We're the pieces, and all we can see is the next move in front of us,” the writer explained. “God, however, sees every piece, every move, and every level. The world is at his disposal. He can move people and resources wherever he needs them to fulfill his good purposes.”

When we pray, God is gracious enough to allow us to be part of this. The choice is up to us.

Awesome.

The Easy Way... Or The Hard Way?

Romans 7:14-20 (NIV)
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

The words of Paul there, talking about the sort of battles we face every day. You know the sort of thing. Confronting those aspects in your own life where you are clearly weak. Battles of choice, battles of habit. Whether to take the easy way ... or the hard?

It's obvious, isn't it, the way we should be taking. But it is terribly hard. In fact, it's "uphill and against the wind" all the way.

Today's the day of our Sponsored Walk, so I'll leave you with that thought as I set out today with my colleagues. And I'll also leave you with our sponsorship link (in case you are interested)...

www.justgiving.com/DartfordSAMen

Choices For Beginners

I sat down with my youngest on Monday and had a pretty good father/daughter chat to her about 'choices'. Somehow, the whole thing has now evolved into a blog entry!

My daughter Kathryn is 11, and we are encouraging her to make decisions for herself - and we obviously want her to make some good ones. So we have started to give her choices:-

Do you really want that extra slice of cake?

When do you want to do your homework?

What about time for practicing your music?

How about making your bed?

What do you think you be wearing on a day like today?

Your choice...

Of course, every choice comes with a consequence... if you take that cake, somebody may have to go without ... however, if you do your homework now, you won't be panicking later when it comes to handing it in! If you don't wear the right clothes, you could well be too cold or too hot... Each different choice brings with it a different consequence.

You know, we all have choices to make... I hope you choose wisely in yours today. 

Joshua 24:15 (NIV) 

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

What's The Use Of Worrying?

"What's the use of worrying
It never was worth while
So, pack up your troubles in your old kit bag
And smile, smile, smile."
(lyrics by George Asaf and Felix Powell)

Okay, let's start 2012 as I mean to go on - forgetting the past, and getting to grips with the future. And along the way, dealing with a few deeply entrenched habits. Here's a good one to start with...

Worry, I am reliably informed, can cause you significant health problems. It raises your blood pressure and can affect your digestion as well as your mind. However, there is a good reason why we act as we do in times of stress...

It's an obvious reaction to an unknown threat - the body goes on high alert. The brain considers a variety of possible outcomes, whereas the body prepares itself for 'fight or flight'. If the 'worry' reflex wasn't there, then I doubt if many species on this planet would have progressed very far. It puts us on alert. It's an automatic response.

However, what sets man apart from the animal kingdom is our ability to reason, to choose how to behave. And, as reasoning beings, we can choose to go our own way - or God's way.

Scripture teaches us to deal with worry in a much different way. We are encouraged to pray. That simple act keeps worry safely under control. In sharing the whole issue with the Lord we find ourselves looking at the issue with fresh eyes. And let's not forget the old saying "a problem shared is a problem halved." Who better to share your problems with?

Try the following structure to your prayers:
1. I'm worried about…
2. ... the worst possible outcome would be ...
3. ... the best thing that could happen would be …
4. Other possibilities to consider?
5. All I can do now is ...
6. .... and leave the rest to God!

I've been encouraged by this simple method of listing all your concerns in an organised manner. It makes it so much easier to subsequently hand them over to God.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." - Charles Spurgeon

Now choose...

I started composing this email whilst on a Scouting expedition to Brownsea Island, the birthplace of the Scout Movement. And amid all the activity, the team building, the cups of tea, one curious thing occurred!

My wife and the other Scouters in the party were getting to grips with practical matters like survival training, bat spotting, making bivouac shelters. I've been in the party, enjoying the scenery, the challenges, washing up, but my mind has been roaming elsewhere. All over the place.

I spent the weekend confronting my own worst fears, coming to grips with my introverted nature, analysing relationships and reactions, seeing God's awesome power in an exciting new way, wrestling with thoughts and theories about predestination and freedom of choice.

Weird. Where my mind chose to be...

Going Back In Time

Strickland: You don't have a chance: you're too much like your old man. No McFly ever amounted to anything in the history of Hill Valley.

Marty McFly: Yeah, well, history is going to change.

When you are making a list of popular science fiction classics from the 1980's, then 'Back To The Future' has got to be included. The film presented its audience with a classic time paradox, however it did so in a way that it was popular with mainstream audiences. It was the most successful film of the year, grossing more than $380M worldwide and prompting two sequels, which were filmed back-to-back. The trilogy is regularly viewed at our house, providing us with an entertaining story about how one small event in the past can have repercussions, changing the way things work out in the future.

In fact, it seems this trilogy keeps on revealing new things.... a DVD set released this month to coincide with the 25th anniversary reveals that the original film's history could have been a whole lot different. You see, Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly, and filming was already quite far advanced when director and co-writer Robert Zemeckis began to have some second thoughts. As good as Stoltz was in the role, Zemeckis was unhappy. On reviewing the footage, Zemeckis had to make a bold and 'horrific' decision. Stoltz's performance lacked some of the humour that he felt the film needed.

Some five weeks into filming, the role was recast and Michael J. Fox was brought in. In fact, Fox was reportedly the director's first choice for the role, but was heavily involved in the US sitcom 'Family Ties' at the time. A deal had to be struck with his agent to secure Fox, and a further deal made with the studio to agree for some expensive but now necessary reshoots. However, the popularity of the films helped Michael J. Fox become a household name that he is today.

How different would the film have been with Stoltz in the role? Would it have had the same impact, been as much a success? Footage of Stoltz in the role can now be found on the new DVD as an 'extra'. It's worth a look.

Remember, the choices that each of us make in life can have a profound effect on the way our lives turn out. Things could be drastically different from what we wish if we don't make the right ones. And we don't have the luxury of a time-travelling DeLorean to pop back and put things right if we make the wrong move!

Joshua 24:15 (New International Version)
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

Excuses, Excuses...

Matthew 8:18-22 (New International Version)

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Followers of Jesus Christ are challenged to seriously consider the cost of their commitment - I've touched on this topic in earlier blogs. If we believe in what we say we believe then Christ needs to come above everything else. Discipleship requires discipline. Excuses shouldn't get in the way! The above passage gives us further food for thought on this subject. In this modern day and age, the request made by the disciple (verse 21) seems more than reasonable. After all, respect for one's parents is an important duty. However, let's look a little deeper at the context... the following paragraphs follow a number of hours research!

In Jewish customs and traditions, the deceased has to be buried within 24 hours, with a period of mourning for seven days afterwards. There are some very practical reasons for this - remember that Israel is a country with a hot climate. Burial (usually placing the body in a cave or tomb) will usually take place on the same day as death.

Most groups of scholars interpret the disciple's statement as an excuse; stating that he wanted to wait until his father, who was unwell, had died. That might mean a delay of days, or even weeks... Another interpretation that I read recently was that the disciple may be talking about a secondary burial, where the bones of a relative are moved from the tomb into an Ossuary, which could be as long as a year or so after death. If that was the case here, that could mean a delay of a few months...

Whichever the interpretation that you favour, the issue is all too clear. Christ's rather direct statement is not intended as an instruction to ignore family ties or obligations, to not show compassion. That would be contrary to other passages of scripture (e.g. Luke 7:11-15). No, this statement is in response to a man who's priorities were a little vague, unclear. There was a reason why he just couldn't fulfil the obligation. The disciple said he was keen to follow Christ's way, but when it came to the crunch, there was the excuse, delaying that tough final decision as to whether to follow Him. Christ knew that - and knew that there were others who could have performed that task for him. Those who weren't called to the sort of new life that Jesus offered. In fact, those who were 'spiritually dead'...

It's a bit of a cliché of mine, however I know that there are a thousand reasons why we should do anything, and a thousand reasons why we shouldn't. Perhaps it might be whether to go to church today, or to volunteer to help someone. If you want to find an excuse not to do it, they are pretty easy to find. However, deep down, you will know whether that reason is justified. Oh, and of course He will know...

What's your choice?