20/20 Hindsight: Just a Phone Call Away

This is 20/20 Hindsight. I am posting a new one each Monday. The purpose of this series is to show God's hand of providence in the lives of people throughout history. Sometimes God works His good through a person and sometimes He does it in spite of that person.

Hindsight Obituary Entry 2:

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell lived from 1847 to 1922. He was the inventor of the first practical working telephone. The telecommunications industry was born through his passion and hard work.

His design continually changed throughout his life from a phone that had to be shouted into even for short distances to one that would span a continent. The New York Times had this to say after a ceremonial debut of a new design in 1915:

On October 9, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson talked by telephone to each other over a two-mile wire stretched between Cambridge and Boston. It was the first wire conversation ever held. Yesterday afternoon [on January 25, 1915] the same two men talked by telephone to each other over a 3,400-mile wire between New York and San Francisco. Dr. Bell, the veteran inventor of the telephone, was in New York, and Mr. Watson, his former associate, was on the other side of the continent. They heard each other much more distinctly than they did in their first talk thirty-eight years ago.

Bell could not have foreseen the advent of the cell phone or the fact that just about everyone would have one. He also would not have understood why we would choose to go back to texting (essentially a telegraph). Skype and FaceTime were probably the furthest thing from his mind, but yet he made all of that possible.

The telephone has gone from mere wires to satellite and towers. It has made the world much much smaller. How has God used this invention to further His good news? Because communication is the heartbeat of relationship. We were created to be in relationship with God and others. The telephone and all of the technologies that followed (remember the Internet began using phone lines to log in) have brought us closer together and enabled us to share God's truth with others.

We no longer have to wait weeks to correspond with a foreign missionary. It can be done in an instant. The phone has given us amazing opportunity. What about you? Is it just another gadget, or a tool to share your faith? Let me leave you with this challenge. Think of someone you care about that has not decided to follow Jesus. Now, take out your phone and call them. You can use this blog as an excuse. Tell them that you read a blog that told you to think about someone you care about who has not decided to follow Christ and they were the first person that came to your mind.

Tell them how you became a Christ follower and ask if they would like to do the same. I led a friend to the Lord the very 1st time I tried it. Let me know what happens.

Read other 20/20 Hindsight entries

7 Not So Serious Ideas for Lent

Lent is the time of year that threatens to bankrupt Starbucks, Russel Stover, and McDonalds.
It has officially begun and people all over the world are giving up something for the 40 days leading up to Easter.


Here are a 7 ideas if you haven't thought of something yet:


1. Jelly doughnuts, but not jelly. To do this right you need to find a large straw such as one used for an Icee. Hold the doughnut in your hand and insert the straw as if it were a Capri Sun. Slurp and enjoy!


2. Lint of all kinds. 
      Dryer lint: Air dry all of your clothes (this will not work in colder climates). 
      Naval lint: Fill your naval with pliable wax to prevent lint from forming.
      Pocket lint: Wear no pockets for 40 days. That's skirts for the women and kilts for the men     
            (do not mix the two up).


3. Feeding your cat (although I do believe more men will take me up on this one than women)


4. The remote control. I do not mean give it to someone else. I mean give it up completely. Get off of your lazy behind and change the channel every so often.


5. Pinterest or at least posting your latest pinnings to Facebook. It seems like the news feed has recently become a inspirational greeting card aisle.


6. 24 hour news networks. There are plenty of places to get news from besides the three ring circus (CNN, FOX News, MSNBC).


7. Shaving. Wouldn't it be cool if every third guy in church on Easter actually looked like Jesus. We have 40 days, lets get going (please ladies do not take this one and apply it to your legs or Easter dresses will be something to dread)!




Whatever you do for Lent please remember that it is all purely voluntary and symbolic. If you feel you must sacrifice, you have missed the entire point of the Easter season. Fat Tuesday reminds us of this as people go out and party because on Ash Wednesday repentance begins. It does not work that way.


Hebrews 10:26 tells us, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left."


Christ was the FINAL sacrifice for sin. Let's use this Lenton season for what it really is--A chance to reflect on what Jesus did, and show our gratitude by putting an area of life on hold to spend with God instead.