One thing I talked about was the integrity required to correctly handle success and prosperity. Solomon was the wisest man in the world, yet it seems his success went to his head. He forgot that everything ultimately belongs to God.
I believe one of Solomon's problems was a lack of accountability in his life. This is speculation I suppose, but it makes sense to me. A king was absolutely sovereign in ancient times--you could be executed for walking into his presence with a frown on your face. I wonder how many people were willing to tell him exactly what they thought of his massive harem and temples to false gods.
The Inner Circle Concept
I mentioned my inner circle at this point in the message, and I'd like to expand on it just a little. There are three guys in my life that I can tell about anything to. One of them is a college buddy that has known me since I was a teenager. A couple of them are friends I've met since moving to the Philippines. These friends have earned my trust--something that isn't easy with a cynic like me. They also have permission to give me advice.
You may have a different name for it, but you get the concept. Past presidents, for example, often had what they called a "kitchen crew." It consisted of guys they had known since childhood--guys who were not enamored with the president's title.
Lessons from the Lion
Even he needs help
I'll give you an example from the natural world. The lion is known as the "king of the jungle" for good reason--it is the apex predator on the African plain. The majestically crowned male is charged with protecting his offspring from other predators. He does this very well--few animals will dare challenge this heavily muscled beast.
But even the king does better with help. A single male lion can be overpowered by two or three rivals--I've seen it happen (remember, I'm a nature show nerd). Prides are much safer when under the protection of a pair of male lions.
Accountability in Action
I'll give you the same challenge I gave my listeners: build your own inner circle. Find one or two friends (same sex) that you can be completely honest with--friends that will be honest with you in return. The encouragement will get you through the tough times and make the victories that much sweeter. You'll also have a valuable source of honest feedback when making decisions.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
-Ecclesiastes 4:12
I thought I'd write a little "public service announcement" of sorts. I'm doing this because I've experienced a couple of snatching attempts at the corner of Recto and Legarda.
Corner: Legarda/Recto (Recto Side)
The first attempt happened right as I was turning this corner to go from Legarda to Recto (I'm taking this photo from the overpass, but it happened down at the sidewalk). I thought I felt something being removed from my bag, and I'm pretty sure I even saw the would-be snatcher. She looked to be in her 30's and was right behind me. I looked down on the ground and saw a Meralco (electric) bill. Sure enough, it had my name on it--she had pulled it out of my bag (guess it wasn't the kind of "bill" she was hoping for).
Corner: Legarda/Recto (Legarda Side)
The second attempt happened just a few days ago. It was the same corner, but this time it was the Legarda side. I was walking from Recto to Legarda to look for a G-liner. I felt my bag being unzipped. Right behind me was a woman wearing a red jacket. Her hand was up by my bag, and she looked just like the one who removed my Meralco bill a couple of months earlier.
Both times I was caught in a bit of a "bottleneck"--a single-file line which slowed me down. The first time there was a huge hole over on the Recto side (it has since been repaired). The second time it was raining and I was having to wait to step on a makeshift concrete block bridge to walk onto Legarda.
Both times she just walked a few feet then stood off to the side--as if there was no real purpose for her to go around that corner other than to get behind me.
Anyway, I want to caution all of you to be very careful any time you are in a "bottleneck"--especially at this particular corner. It seems this snatcher waits for people to get slowed down so she can get behind them and put her sticky fingers to work.
In case you are wondering, I don't keep anything of monetary value in the outer pockets of my backpack--I've lived here for eight years and I know better.
I'm just trying to pay it forward for every time someone has told me my bag is open.
November 1st is a significant holiday in the Filipino culture. Here are some thoughts from Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, a chaplain at Central Philippine University:
Most of us have visited our departed loved ones in the cemetery today. It is our tradition to light candles, eat sticky food, and reunite with family members on All Saints Day.
What lessons can we learn on our November 1 tradition?
First, let us value our family. In our fast pace world nowadays we sometimes forget to greet our love ones, share stories with them, and just sit there and feel their presence.
We need to seek out our family members and let them feel that we value their existence. Sometimes a surprise visit does a lot of good.
When was the last time you visited your family?
Second, let us fellowship in our table. It increasingly alarming that we oftentimes eat alone, and in a fast food joint. One can note in the gospels that there are many stories of Jesus together with people attending a feast or having just plain supper. Jesus did not do it for the free food but in eating together, Jesus was teaching us about how to nurture our relationship with one another.
What is it in eating together? When we share a meal, there is ritual of passing the plates, viands, and drinks. While doing this, we are reconnecting with our family members – we would ask them what is happening with their life, and vice versa. This is why eating in a table with family and friends would sometimes take long to finish. Table fellowship is a good way of uniting our family.
Eating foods that are sticky on November 1 is a reminder for Filipinos to stick with your family. There are many families that are breaking up, and eating “suman” reminds us to keep our family together.
When was the last time you ate with your family?
Third, we need to keep and continue the legacy of our departed loved ones.
I noticed that in the cemetery, one of the purposes of lighting a candle is to start a conversation about the departed loved one and use the life of the candle as the timer when to end the conversation. Although the conversation is short, it rekindles memories. The swapping of stories becomes a great way of passing on to the next generation the legacy of the previous generation.
When was the last time you told a story of your departed loved one to the new generation of your family?
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
The Basta LoveLife Radio Show now plays on the following stations: Marikina-LIPS FM 106.3 every Saturday 4-5pm Davao-Edge Radio 104.3 FM every Wednesday 8-9pm
