FICKLE FOLLOWERS

I trip over them all the time. They sit right next to each other. They sometimes seem to mock me. Adidas made them, placed them on a rack and I encountered them months ago. I purchased them, brought them to our home, and have worn them maybe 10 times. A few weeks ago I attempted to put them on and take them around the neighborhood before I went to bed. What a beautiful idea! I decided to race against the clock before I went to bed, a new ritual. I knew that if I wore the shoes that would transform me into a swift being that could burn some calories before retiring for the day, I would surely become the perfect model of physical fitness! If I would do this every night, i could gage my improvement based on time times.

I took off out of the driveway, watch out racing world, I was on my way! About 200 yards in to the run, I heard a tapping and dragging behind me. Paying no attention, I continued down our street. After reaching the end of our street, I turned and noticed a black dog that was gaining on me quickly. Forget the stop watch, I now had my motivation to run faster. I crossed the street. My new companion followed. I picked it up a notch as I ventured down Powell Road. The dog gained on me. Not being Carl Lewis, or even Richard Simmons for that matter, the canine caught me with ease. However, my new buddy would not pass me. Sometimes even with me and sometimes behind, but never in front. I showed my running mate who was boss as I advanced down Powell and then hung a left on Byhalia Road. The traffic on this street was a lot more than Powell. My buddy decided at this point to run on my right, in the lane of on-coming traffic. As I ran, I found myself hoping that the random mutt would take off to the left or right, far away from me. The dog had a different idea. As I started to feel a burn in my lungs and heavy weight made itself at home in my legs, my visitor continued to run, not flinching from the on-coming cars.

Now put yourself in the position of a traveler on Byhalia Road. You see this big headed guy with seemingly brand new running shoes barreling down the street and he does not have the nerve to put his dog on a leash. You have to swerve to keep from hitting his dog. What do you do? Yell at him? Feel the need to utter the four-letter words that you have hidden in your vocabulary? Show him your longest finger? If you answer yes to any of those questions, you were probably driving down Byhalia Road around 10:15 several weeks ago. I eventually threw my hands up in the air as I jogged, mouthing the words "it's not my dog!" The people didn't seem to listen as the horns got louder.

White Road did not come soon enough. It was my next left turn. Less populated. My buddy kept with me and as I approached Queen Oak, even less populated, my burden disappeared. I was so thankful, but why could this have not happened sooner? Why did my acquaintance not bail out on one of the busy streets? The flip-side of that when you venture down a street that is less populated, there are less lights. I was dragging my tired self, not looking at the time piece on my wrist (to avoid shock and disappointment) and scuffing my nice Adidas kicks when I heard the most alarming noise that runners can encounter. Not one bark, not two, what was probably three (but sounded like a dozen) barks coming from a pack of dogs in the ditch. That is right, in the dark, three dogs from the ditch came running in my direction. I must refer to them as "dawgs" now in order for you to see the ruggedness of my new visitors. I ran like the wind. Bolting down Queen Oak late at night, I looked like I had stolen something. Their barks were vicious. Then I heard something that sounded like a siren. It was my black buddy, my former burden. Dropping whatever garbage adventure that was more interesting than our run, my savior was coming. Chasing the other dogs back in to their ditch with lightening speed, I rejoiced at the gift of man's best friend. Over and over again, I petted my buddy and announced to the world what a good dog this was!

It is amazing how we do the exact same thing with the Lord's church. Think about how you act when someone starts talking about the church that Christ died for. If they think that you are narrow minded and way too strict, you find yourself throwing your hands up in the air and telling anyone who will listen that you are not like that. That is just the way "they are" (referring to member of God's Kingdom). Just like my buddy that ran with me and got in the way of the "flow", we find ourselves forsaking what we really are about. But when the church comes to our need and aid, when we are suffering and have the need for fellowship, we rejoice when we encounter other members of the church. We find ourselves denying the church of Christ when some don't like it (or honk horns and tell you to get that dog on a leash!). We love meeting new Brothers and Sisters in Christ and enjoy great fellowship (when the same dog comes to my rescue and comfort!). Let us make sure that we always strive to defend the church just as Christ defends us. Don't turn your back on the glorious gathering of God's people. We are saints that are brought together by the blood of Christ. The church was not an afterthought of God. It is an establishment that we should take pride in and fight for whenever necessary. Member of the church? What have you done for Her lately?

Taft Ayers
Woodland Hills church of Christ

PLUG IN DRUGS?

If you ask a drug addict why they take drugs, they say something like, "It makes me feel good." If you ask someone why they watch TV, they will often say, "It helps me relax and forget my problems." Do those statements sound alike? There is a rising concern about a not so new drug on the market, its television! In 1950 there were fewer than five million TV sets in the world. Today, there are 250,000 TV sets made every day! To top it off, the average American family has it’s TV on just over seven hours a day. By the time teens finish high school, they have spent more time watching TV (15,000 hours) than sitting in the classroom (11,000). They parallel between drugs and TV are scary. Both promote a social behavior; both are mood altering mediums; and both give a false view of the real world. See if you can cut back on your "drug habit"; by watching less TV. After all, "there’s more to life than news, weather and sports!"

                        J. J. Turner