TONGUE TWISTER
It was called a tongue twister. And twist the tongue it did. Someone with absolutely too much time on their hands and brain thought of putting words together that tripped up speech patterns. They revealed just one of the weaknesses of the flesh.
My favorite one I eventually mastered, with entirely too much time on my hands and brain. That, after failing and bungling the words like a baby.
We were challenged to say, “Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper”, as fast as we could. A couple of words in and it sounded like the baby in the buggy just discovered the letter “B”.Then there was the “Magic Pencil”. It wasn’t really magic, but it bent the brain through the eyes like the tongue twister did through the mouth.
The Magic Pencil worked best with a brand new one. The trickster would hold the pencil opposite the silver crimped pink eraser side and between their thumb and forefinger. They’d move their whole hand up and down a couple of inches each way, keeping their wrist locked.
After a few seconds of wagging the writing utensil, it began to look like it was flexing in the middle of the wooden pencil like it was bending, hence the Magic Pencil.
It was just an optical illusion. I know, I grabbed the first couple of pencils and snapped them in half, thinking I was getting worked by a fraud and a fake rubber pencil.
The flesh and our senses are easily fooled, and I mean far beyond that of a ventriloquist act. The weak flesh wants to believe a lie. Need proof? Just look at how many on-line scammers there are. Bad folks preying on the weakness of gullible people who struggle to learn the truth in the old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”.
We want great deals and we want security.
Most of us have learned the hard way that to get a great deal you have to compromise. And compromising never gives us the return on investment we’re dreaming of, no matter if it’s physical or spiritual.
Many of us have also learned that the price paid for security, as promised by other humans, cost us our freedoms… and when that’s gone… so is the security.
We’re like sheep – in need of guidance and protection. But unlike sheep, we’re more easily lured away from our security and true freedom. We’re deceived into believing that we can find peace, joy, and security physically.
If that were the case, a lot more rich people would be a whole lot happier.
The Good Shepherd and His good Word reveal that the world and it’s inhabitants for what they are; liars and deceivers.
If someone believes the promise of security and freedom outside the sovereignty of God… then they’ll fall prey to the flesh as easily as the Magic Pencil and Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper… said really fast.
Lisa Galati
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 9:01 am
Floyd, this makes me think of the recent postings of an absolutely beautiful version being sung of the John Lennon song Imagine. Some really great and powerful words about the world being as one wrapped around a verse saying imagine no religion and living for today as if that too was a solution to the world being as one. I personally believe John got it wrong with including that verse.
Floyd
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 @ 4:42 pm
Me too Lis!
Bill (cycleguy)
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 1:48 pm
So true Floyd. Chasing after things which don’t matter or last is (to borrow a saying from a very wise man) “Vanity of vanity; all is vanity.” The rich man finds emptiness at the end of his rainbow. I prefer to follow the Father’s advice.
Lisa notes
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 3:07 pm
I could never say the tongue twister very well myself. Unless our chase for security ends up with eternal security found in Christ, we’ll forever be insecure. We had a lesson this morning on taking risks; with our eternal risk gone, we are free indeed. Thanks for sharing this, Floyd.
Mike Shanta
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 6:00 pm
Truer words were never spoken my friend. As Ben Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”. As a people these days, we are so easily swayed to give up our freedom and our money to someone or some group for some promise that all will be well or better. What people no longer understand is freedom is not free, as our veterans can attest to, and if something seems to good to be true it more than likely is. Great post.
Hazel Moon
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 6:35 pm
Those tongue twisters were a lot of fun. I hadn’t thought of them in years. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, a peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked, was our favorite. Yes, illusions do trick us at times. We have been scammed with some investment schemes sorry to say, but NO more. Thanks Floyd for another great post.
Cheryl
Sunday, March 12, 2017 @ 10:24 pm
You are so right. The enemy has so many “fake” scams and “quick fix” illusions. It surely takes Holy Spirit discernment to see through his schemes. Thanks for another great post, brother.
Pam
Monday, March 13, 2017 @ 3:53 am
Very true words here, Floyd. So many are looking for the pot of gold, the easy fix, hoping “too good to be true” will turn out to actually BE true. Like tongue twisters, those scams will only trip us up.
saleslady371
Monday, March 13, 2017 @ 9:57 am
A very good message! I paused at your point and couldn’t help but think about our Good Shepherd and His gentle leading because we are so easily deceived. The liar is a thief, too, and tries to steal the Word that contains our promises, our prosperity and peace. Wishing you a great week.
Ed
Monday, March 13, 2017 @ 10:00 am
Unfortunately in today’s world, many are caught up in the delusions that things will be fine in the long haul…even though they keep passing the warning signs to turn around.
Dolly
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 @ 12:11 pm
Floyd,
Tricky tongue twister indeed…daily I must ask God for the grace to always seek His Sovereign will and to seek security in Him alone…wise post, my friend 🙂
Dan Black
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 @ 7:58 pm
Amen! All things are found in Christ and we can do all things through His power!
June
Thursday, March 16, 2017 @ 2:14 pm
So true, Floyd and the really sad part is it is usually the poor and elderly who are targeted in these scams. Security comes only from Him. Blessings on your week, brother!
Betty Draper
Friday, March 17, 2017 @ 4:28 pm
It’s funny but some of the meds I have to take now make my words come our a little slurred, like I have had too many drinks.
“compromising never gives us the return on investment we’re dreaming of, no matter if it’s physical or spiritual. ‘ Love this..