The Arrow
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath….” James 1:19 KJV
When I was in high school I thought I wanted to graduate a year early. At the last moment, I changed my mind and decided to go to Vo-Tech instead. This was a special school our county had for students who wanted the option of careers that weren’t college educated based. These were two year programs, so, if I attended one of these programs, I would graduate in my normal graduation year.
I wanted to go to college, but I also wanted to learn a trade. From the various programs Vo-Tech offered, I chose carpentry. I was really hoping it would be tailored to the home building side, but, instead, it was more about building cabinets and woodworking.
Vo-Tech was a half day program, so I still had to take other classes at my high school. In the morning, when I got to my high school, I would catch a bus to the Vo-Tech Center. When the half of day was over, I would hop back on the bus and head back to my high school. For the rest of the day I would attend the other classes on my schedule.
At the time, our county only had three high schools. The other two rival high schools would also send students to this Vo-Tech Center. Some of my best friendships came from fellow students from the other schools. They attended the carpentry class with me.
Almost every Friday night, a group of us guys from the carpentry class would go bowling. There was a little rundown bowling alley we would go to in my hometown. It was a duckpin bowling alley. There are very few of those type bowling alleys around anymore, even this one is no longer open. We went so often that my Mom bought me a set of the balls and a case to carry them in.
Duckpin is a little different from the 10-pin that most people roll today. The duckpin bowling ball is about the size of a cannon ball. Part of our fun was to see how far we could throw the ball down the alley before it hit the lane. We never really took our bowling seriously. We were just there for the fun.
As far as Presidential nicknames go, one of his might be the most uncomplimentary ever. One of his nicknames was “The Human Iceberg.” Just like you might think, it had to do with how he came across in conversations with others. He really didn’t have a cold heart, though.
This President’s family had been around since almost the beginning of our time in the “New World.” The family just kept producing one generation after another of influential politicians. You would think that someone with such a pedigree would be proud to bring some of that clout into his elections and his life. Not him. He would say, “I want it understood that I am the grandson of nobody. I believe that every man should stand on his own merits.”
He was also one of our smaller Presidents. He only stood five foot six inches tall. Only James Madison, at five foot four inches, was shorter (Martin Van Buren was also five foot six inches). But he didn’t let his size stop him.
He fought in the Civil War. Once he wrote his wife, Carrie, telling her, if he died in battle, grief should not be so bitter for her. He said, “…by the consolation that I died for my country and in Christ. If God gives me strength I mean to bear myself bravely, and come what will, so that you may have no cause to blush for me, though you should be forced to mourn.”
The President had a golden heart, though. Once, his private secretary, Elijah Halford became seriously ill. The President invited Elijah to stay with him and his wife at the White House until he recovered. Halford would say of the President, “Few men had quicker, warmer, or more delicate sympathies.”
Another time, the home of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Tracy caught fire. Hearing of the blaze, the President rushed to the scene. He would perform artificial respiration on the Navy Secretary and revive him. Tracy’s wife and daughter would die in the blaze. The President invited the distraught Navy Secretary to stay at the White house while he recovered.
This is one of those Bible characters who gets mentioned in one of those odd stories. Like Jonah with his big fish, and Daniel and his overnight’s stay in a lion’s den, the biggest story about our character’s life also involved an animal. His animal story involved a donkey.
If the only part of the Bible story you read was his encounter with his donkey, you might say, “That’s a cool story, but what point is it trying to make?” Like Daniel and Jonah, this Bible character had more to his story, too.
Another interesting point in our Bible story is that God talks to our Bible character even though he is not a Hebrew or Israelite. The story takes place in a time when the Israelites dominated the Bible pages. Yet, for some reason, God talks to this man.
Because this man could seemingly see into the future, some have called him a Prophet. Let’s be clear, nowhere in the Bible is he ever called that. Instead, he is called a soothsayer. Basically, he made his living by telling people the future. He apparently was one of the best there ever was.
This soothsayer must have been good at his trade across a wide spectrum of religions. At the time, there were many religions and gods that were worshipped in the area. To earn such a reputation, and probably make a tidy profit, I’m sure just one religious affiliation wouldn’t garner that reputation.
If you are going to be the best soothsayer, and you wanted to make a lot of money doing it, you would also have to be right all the time in what you say. People aren’t going to pay big bucks when the odds are that you are 50-50 on your predictions.
Although our soothsayer was not an Israelite, he was probably very well aware of who the Israelites were. He was from a town that was not too far from where Abraham staked his claim to fame many years prior.
When you understand those two things, it’s easier to understand a little better this encounter with his donkey. Even with those facts, it is sometimes hard to understand why the encounter took place. He was, after all, doing what he thought God told him to do even though he might have added a little bit of personal interest to it.
When I went through my separation and divorce, I had a great couple who invited me to do many things with them. Butch took me under his wings. I guess he just saw that hopeless look in my eyes and he had felt that way before himself.
Butch and his wife got me involved in the bowling league they were part of. They were great bowlers who took their bowling seriously. They had me put on another team that was more there for the fun. That worked out great because I learned that I was an okay person to be around.
One of the lessons most good bowlers learn is that they don’t aim at the pins when they release the bowling ball. Instead, the bowlers use the little markings on the alley itself. Those little markings are called arrows. The bowlers know that if they release the ball with about the same speed, and the same force, at the exact same spot, the ball will land in the same place every time.
When you can find and hit that sweet spot, more than likely you are going to have a great game. Using this method can cause much frustration, though. If the sweet spot just isn’t there, or if you are releasing the ball differently with each throw, you can be more focused on finding the arrow than you are in just having fun.
Our President was one of the greatest Presidents in front of a crowd. Thousands would come hear him give a speech. He didn’t really “run” for President like we think of today. He just stayed at home. Great crowds would come to his house and he would basically just step out on the front porch and give a speech.
Over and over again, the crowds would come to his house. Then, over and over again, he would deliver another speech. The roar of approval from the crowd was deafening. This strategy earned him another one of his nicknames: “The Front Porch Campaigner.”
So with such a big heart and being so good at giving speeches, how could this President come to be known as “The Human Iceberg”?
Our Bible soothsayer was named Balaam. If Balaam had a different occupation or lived in a different time, he would have probably never made it into the Bible. Balaam’s story, just like Jonah’s, doesn’t really end with his animal encounter. Instead it is more like the beginning of the task assigned to him.
The Israelites were on their journey across the wilderness. They seemed to, almost effortlessly, defeat one nation after another. They are sitting on the edge of Moab. The King of Moab, Balak, was getting really nervous. He sensed he was next. He wanted to head it all off and he would use any means possible.
The King of Moab decides to hire Balaam to issue a curse on the Israelites. He will spare no expense. Money is no object. When he sends his servants with the offer to Balaam, Balaam turns to God to make sure what he predicts will happen. He will not tell these servants anything unless he is positive it will happen. God basically tells Balaam, “Nope, if you issue a curse, it’s just not happening.”
Balaam turns down his guest, despite the huge sum they are offering them. This doesn’t make the King of Moab very happy. He sends the servants back again with even more treasure.
Making sure his prophetic record stays spotlessly accurate, Balaam goes to God again. God says, “I still haven’t changed my mind, but you can go to see the King, if they ask you to go.” The Bible never says that he was asked to go and see the King. Instead, Balaam just loads up his soon to be famous donkey and starts his journey to see the King.
One can only imagine the thoughts going through Balaam’s mind. He’s probably thinking there might be a chance God would change his mind once he got in the King’s presence. If that happened, then it is going to be a big payday for him. Apparently God didn’t like Balaam’s attitude.
God is so angry at Balaam that he sends some angels down to kill him. For some reason, the donkey can see these fierce warrior angels as they stand across the path they are traveling. Balaam doesn’t see them. The donkey stopped dead in his tracks, and then moved extremely close to the rocky edge to get by or out of the angels’ way. This move caused the donkey to pin Balaam to the side, which crushes Balaam’s leg.
Really ticked off now, Balaam repeatedly strikes the poor donkey. He was probably also uttering some not so nice words at the donkey. The donkey is puzzled by his master’s punishment. In one of those strange twists in the Bible, the donkey turns around to his master and speaks. He basically says, “Ouch! What is wrong with you? Haven’t I always been the best donkey you have ever had? Why are you beating me? Can’t you see these angels in front of us who are trying to kill you? I’m going out of my way to protect you.”
At that very moment, Balaam’s eyes are opened so he can see the angels. He is full of regret, and probably thinking of how he can profit from a talking donkey. God blasted Balaam about his attitude. Balaam says he will only speak the Lord’s words. They continue on their journey to catch up with the King.
My brother-in-law, Chuck, has Down Syndrome. This condition gives him different eyes to look at the world through. Often I think the world would be better off if we could borrow his eyes for a little while. His is a simple world that breaks down the complex into very basic ideas.
When Chuck gets one thing on his mind, though, it is hard to get him to think of anything else. Diverting his attention to something else is next to impossible. He is very comfortable being who he is and thinking what he wants to think.
I don’t remember exactly where the conversation took place, or really what the conversation was about, but a group of us were standing around with Chuck. Never one to hold his thoughts in very well, Chuck threw in his advice. Like many of the things in his life, I’m sure this one had more to do with his routine or something someone had said to him.
Chuck goes bowling every week with a group of his friends. The groups he is involved in are really great. They try to keep people like Chuck very active. Chuck absolutely loves bowling. I’m sure Chuck’s comment must have come when someone was trying to teach him to bowl using the arrows.
As our group conversation started, someone in the group was very frustrated with something going on in their life. Back and forward the conversation went between several of the people involved. Chuck, in his very, focused mind, was probably thinking that everyone wanted to hear about his bowling. Silence is not always Chuck’s strong point.
The funny thing is that when Chuck starting talking about his bowling, it fit perfectly into the conversation. Lifting his hands up, he took his fingers and formed the shape of a triangle. Then Chuck said, “You just need to make an arrow.”
Without realizing it, Chuck’s advice was exactly what the conversation needed. He was basically saying, “Don’t look at the pins (or applying it to our conversation, your frustrations) in front of you. Look to where the arrows are pointing.” Strangely, Chuck’s hands, that formed an arrow, were pointed straight up to heaven.
One of our President’s other nicknames was “Little Ben.” He earned it while he was serving as his regiment’s colonel. Despite his small frame, “Little Ben” was a tough disciplinarian, who hated seeing people waste time.
But he cared very much about his troops and his troops knew and respected this about him. Sometimes you could catch him carrying the gear of one of the worn out soldiers. It also wouldn’t be odd to catch him giving up his horse, and walking, so a sick soldier could ride it in his place. Later in life you might catch him giving one of his fine speeches at the Grand Army of the Republic, the fraternal organization for the Union.
So how did Benjamin “Little Ben” Harrison get his nickname “The Human Iceberg”? For all his wonderful traits, Benjamin Harrison was awful with one-on-one conversations. It was said, “Harrison caused ill feelings with his brusque behavior, and seemed to possess a talent for ‘doing the right thing in the wrong way.’”
A Republican friend once said that Harrison was one of the greatest speakers of his generation. His oratorical skills could influence anyone. But, that same friend would continue, “… if he were introduced to each of them afterward each would depart his enemy.”
One of the few friends that actually called him by his first name once offered some advice to Harrison: “Now Ben. I know you’ll capture them with your speech, but for God’s sake be a human being down there. Mix around a little with the boys after the meeting.”
Harrison returned to his friend after the speech, dejected. He would say to his friend, “John, I tried it, but I failed. I’ll never try again I must be myself.” I guess he was “The Human Iceberg” that just wouldn’t melt.
Balaam would continue to disappoint the Moab king. He never could bring himself around to curse the Israelites. This would cause the King of Moab’s anger to grow toward Balaam. It especially hit a nerve when, not only did Balaam not issue a curse, he issued a blessing. He did exactly what he told God he would do and that was only to say what God told him.
It’s almost like you can sense that Balaam is starting to worry that his checks from the king are going to run out. Balaam is very well aware that he can’t say anything but what God tells him to say. Instead, Balaam comes up with another plan.
The king has many beautiful women in his land, why not spruce them up a little and tempt those Israelite men into their chambers. Using their charm, they can convert them into worshiping other gods. This would tick off their God. Balaam knew first hand that this God was not one to be messed with and He definitely didn’t like it when people didn’t follow His instructions.
The planned worked. Some of the stupid Israelite men followed these cute young women right into their plot. God got really upset with those Israelites. He was so upset that he killed 24,000 of them over the incident.
God would get the ultimate revenge against Balaam, though. In the heat of battle against the Midians, Balaam is killed. Joshua would portray this news with celebration.
In our lives, cute little babies are born. It’s not too long before everyone is trying to encourage the little one to talk. Will he say, “Da-Da” or “Ma-Ma” first? Giggles soon follow as the young child starts struggling to form real words and real sentences. Without realizing it, the child doesn’t actually say some words correctly. We may snicker a little, but it doesn’t stop us from encouraging them to continue to talk, though.
Soon, the art of speaking becomes a regular part of our days. The words just seem to flow out of our mouth, sometimes without any concern on our part. Frustration, hurt, worry, self-doubt, or even a lack of confidence can all play negative roles in the choice of words we use. We seem to be trying to gain the upper hand over our emotions, hurts, or lack of self-confidence. Unfortunately, others often pay the price for our choice of words.
When we try to gain that upper hand or compensate for our self-doubt, we often forget to have compassion for the other individual. To prove our point, our choice of words often comes at the expense of the other individual’s ears.
But the art of growing a personal relationship sometimes requires giving the other person the freedom to express themselves without the shadow of those words always hanging over them. The person should be given the chance to clarify what they said if it did not come out right. They should also be given the opportunity to say they are sorry for what they said or how they said it.
But the most overlooked portion of conversation is the ability to use our ears better our than mouths. The voice is only pleasant when the ears are soothed by her waves. Listening also helps us, at times, to say, “I don’t think that’s how he meant to say that.” It then ask questions to make sure that the words and the intent were the way they came across.
True listening takes away the personal redemption which can be one of the greatest motives of talking. I highly doubt the reason that “The Human Iceberg,” Benjamin Harrison, failed to leave a positive impression was because he spent too much time listening. Balaam thought more of his personal gain than he did about listening for what God was really saying.
Maybe my brother-in-law, Chuck, had it right, instead of looking out for our own self-interest, maybe we should just make an arrow. When we make an arrow, it is rarely pointed in our own direction.
Prayer: Dear Mighty Father, My words often take a selfish direction. Please help me to think of others and how they might receive them better if I choose them more wisely. Let my ears touch others’ heart more than my voice. Amen.
