| BOY'S TOYS AND GOD |
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A couple of years ago, hubby recently received a huge desire of his heart – a Hummer. The macho one, not the smaller
version. An alpha-man toy! Argh! Argh!
I was rejoicing with hubby about his new toy. He haughtily informed me that this was NOT a toy. It was a tool… a
necessity. I said, “Unh huh. Sure it is.” He may not show it but inside he’s jumping up and down like a little kid going,
“Yippie, yippie. I got it! I got it! I’m the man! Yes I am!” He can’t fool me.
When a man achieves a heart’s desire, he tries to be cool about it. Women may tell everyone, laugh and rejoice loudly
with one another. Men will smile and act like,“It ain’t all that.” I say, LIARS!
Since the purchase, hubby has been subjected to jesting, (men), joking (men), people (men) begging to test drive his
Hummer, people (men) going out in the parking lot to touch his Hummer, people (men) turning and staring as he drove
the Hummer downtown, and people (men) stopping him and asking questions about his Hummer.
We took the Hummer for a drive one evening. Passing by the little store in our small town, I noticed the tanker truck was
there filling the gas tanks. The man was standing on top of the tanker truck. As God is my witness, he almost fell off the
tanker truck, staring at the Hummer. He waved (we don't know him) and watched us until we were out of sight. This
happens often – people staring at the Hummer as it passes by.
We stopped to eat at a restaurant. Upon leaving, the owner was coming back into the restaurant and stopped my
husband to tell him how much he admired his Hummer. The owner had gone outside to check the Hummer out. I can’t
describe how it was but if it were a cartoon, his tongue would have been hanging down to his chin and there would
have been drool running from the his lips. I swear hubby’s shoulders went back straighter and he strutted back to the
vehicle. He’ll deny it, but I was there.
Taking it to work, men from the office commented to my hubby about his new toy. Oh they act all cool, but they are so
envious, they can’t stand it. They all want to drive it around the block. They may talk about needing to drive an
economical vehicle for great gas mileage but inside they all still want the biggest, baddest machine on the road.
You ask what this has to do with God? I am here to tell you, God cares so much about us – He loves us so much – He
even cares that we have “toys” that the world considers drool-worthy. Don’t get me wrong – hubby and I have both
learned the lesson about pride, envy, bragging, thinking you’re all that, and taking the glory when it should be given to
God. I guarantee you, that Hummer would not be in our driveway if we hadn’t learned those lessons.
We have learned to give God the glory in all things, big and small. The Hummer is actually an open door to conversation
about God’s goodness. People don’t always understand it but when hubby says, “God is good to me” they always say,
“He sure is” – even if they aren’t sure they believe in God or not!
When people try to get “holier than thou” on him about the environment or things like that, God prompted hubby to say,
“Would you like to drive it around the block?” He doesn’t get in arguments about knowing the God of more than enough
or any arguments at all. He responds in kindness and generosity. They inevitably have to shut their open mouths first
but without fail, that soft answer turned away not only wrath, but envy (Prov. 15:1).
In our adventures of faith, I have found people truly WANT to believe that God loves us so much that He blesses, gives
and opens doors. They don’t want to believe He is impersonal and sitting in heaven ignoring us until we get to heaven.
They WANT to believe He cares so much about their personal lives that He wants to be involved in every area. Does the
Hummer draw people to Him. Sure it does. When they come to hubby’s cubicle and ask questions about this God who is
so good to him, he has ready answers.
They are so hungry for a personal God, they want to believe.
Copyright © 2009 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
version. An alpha-man toy! Argh! Argh!
I was rejoicing with hubby about his new toy. He haughtily informed me that this was NOT a toy. It was a tool… a
necessity. I said, “Unh huh. Sure it is.” He may not show it but inside he’s jumping up and down like a little kid going,
“Yippie, yippie. I got it! I got it! I’m the man! Yes I am!” He can’t fool me.
When a man achieves a heart’s desire, he tries to be cool about it. Women may tell everyone, laugh and rejoice loudly
with one another. Men will smile and act like,“It ain’t all that.” I say, LIARS!
Since the purchase, hubby has been subjected to jesting, (men), joking (men), people (men) begging to test drive his
Hummer, people (men) going out in the parking lot to touch his Hummer, people (men) turning and staring as he drove
the Hummer downtown, and people (men) stopping him and asking questions about his Hummer.
We took the Hummer for a drive one evening. Passing by the little store in our small town, I noticed the tanker truck was
there filling the gas tanks. The man was standing on top of the tanker truck. As God is my witness, he almost fell off the
tanker truck, staring at the Hummer. He waved (we don't know him) and watched us until we were out of sight. This
happens often – people staring at the Hummer as it passes by.
We stopped to eat at a restaurant. Upon leaving, the owner was coming back into the restaurant and stopped my
husband to tell him how much he admired his Hummer. The owner had gone outside to check the Hummer out. I can’t
describe how it was but if it were a cartoon, his tongue would have been hanging down to his chin and there would
have been drool running from the his lips. I swear hubby’s shoulders went back straighter and he strutted back to the
vehicle. He’ll deny it, but I was there.
Taking it to work, men from the office commented to my hubby about his new toy. Oh they act all cool, but they are so
envious, they can’t stand it. They all want to drive it around the block. They may talk about needing to drive an
economical vehicle for great gas mileage but inside they all still want the biggest, baddest machine on the road.
You ask what this has to do with God? I am here to tell you, God cares so much about us – He loves us so much – He
even cares that we have “toys” that the world considers drool-worthy. Don’t get me wrong – hubby and I have both
learned the lesson about pride, envy, bragging, thinking you’re all that, and taking the glory when it should be given to
God. I guarantee you, that Hummer would not be in our driveway if we hadn’t learned those lessons.
We have learned to give God the glory in all things, big and small. The Hummer is actually an open door to conversation
about God’s goodness. People don’t always understand it but when hubby says, “God is good to me” they always say,
“He sure is” – even if they aren’t sure they believe in God or not!
When people try to get “holier than thou” on him about the environment or things like that, God prompted hubby to say,
“Would you like to drive it around the block?” He doesn’t get in arguments about knowing the God of more than enough
or any arguments at all. He responds in kindness and generosity. They inevitably have to shut their open mouths first
but without fail, that soft answer turned away not only wrath, but envy (Prov. 15:1).
In our adventures of faith, I have found people truly WANT to believe that God loves us so much that He blesses, gives
and opens doors. They don’t want to believe He is impersonal and sitting in heaven ignoring us until we get to heaven.
They WANT to believe He cares so much about their personal lives that He wants to be involved in every area. Does the
Hummer draw people to Him. Sure it does. When they come to hubby’s cubicle and ask questions about this God who is
so good to him, he has ready answers.
They are so hungry for a personal God, they want to believe.
Copyright © 2009 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
