Faster than a Fly
On a recent trip to my local grocery store, I spent way too much time trying to find the fly swatters. It is summer, and a few of those pesky little critters found their way into my house. I finally stopped to ask a gentleman employed by the store if he knew where I could find a fly swatter.
He turned to me and asked, “A what?”
“A fly swatter,” I replied.
Now, the gentleman crept a few steps closer to me, and inquired again, “A what?”
I thought maybe the man was slightly hard of hearing, so I answered again, “A fly swatter”. This time I could see on his face that it wasn’t that he couldn’t hear me…he couldn’t understand me. Very quickly I added, “Fly swatter…F. L. Y. swatter”.
Touchdown! I realized the gentleman finally knew what I was saying.
“Oh…a fly swatter! With your accent, I couldn’t understand what you were saying,” he proceeded to explain as he led me to the item.
This sort of exchange is nothing new to me. My entire life I have endured being teased about my southern accent. Most of the time it’s done in goodwill; strangers finding it interesting or quaint or don’t understand me. Unfortunately, I have encountered people who think the vernacular in which I speak combined with the rate-of-speed at which it’s delivered somehow equates to a lower level of intelligence. The long list of derogatory terms such people associate with my accent begins to scroll across their faces as I am quickly deemed an uneducated, crass, racist, unsophisticated moron and dismissed as unworthy of their time.
I feel sorry for people like that. They are in such a hurry in life and so quick to judge. They have no clue how to actually “Be still and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. If those people would just ‘be still and listen’, they would’ve discovered on their own that I am far from the stereotype they placed me in. Honestly, what they think of me doesn’t matter at all. It’s the fast-food-8G-movies-on-demand-100 mph-multitasking mentality that really matters. Isn’t that something that our entire society suffers with today…being in such a hurry? Since when did it become the goal, the normal even, that our lives go at warp speed? We gotta do more in less time. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Now, now, now!
Traveling at the Speed of Man
There are many negative consequences that can happen to someone when they get in a hurry. Here are just a few:
- Wreck your vehicle
- Put salt in your coffee instead of sugar
- Miss your child’s childhood
- Place material things ahead of God and family
- Forget to put your pants on in the morning and go to work
- Create stress & anxiety (which showing up at work with no pants on will do all by itself)
- Fall in a hole
- Misunderstand
- Put your eye out
- Make mistakes
- Fumble the ball
- Lose money
- Miss out on dessert
To, Be still and know that I am God, you have to actually “be still”. It’s the key. Slow down, breathe, listen…be still in your mind and in your body. Rushing and stillness don’t work together. In fact, they are polar opposites. But in the stillness, God awaits, and He wants to share with you a deeper level of understanding about Him.
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions, (Proverbs 18:2).
My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, (James 1:19).
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, (Hebrews 12:25).
Understanding God’s Speed
God’s speed, or the speed at which God works, is what we are going to look at right now.
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance, (2 Peter 3:8).
Peter was echoing a verse found in the Old Testament, (Psalm 90:4), to ensure and teach that the Word of God is being, and will be, utterly fulfilled, and that God’s patience is on our behalf.
As we read in Ecclesiastes 3, God has appointed a time for all things: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, (verse 1). These things will be done at the speed God chooses. He is God.
It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, (Acts 1:7).
Humans are impatient because we don’t understand. We have the attention span of a fly at a smorgasbord. In our fleshly form, we will never fully understand. We must recognize that and accept it. We must have faith and develop patience.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts, (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God’s speed is most definitely not the same rate of speed we are, or want to, travel in. To have a deeper understanding of God, we need to follow His Divine example and slow down.
Spiritual growth takes time. God designed it that way. We don’t just get saved one day and fully understand the Bible or its application to life the next day. We don’t wake up the day after and have a deep, meaningful relationship with Jesus. We must learn and grow.
Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good, (1 Peter 2:2-3).
We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light, (Colossians 1:9-10).
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known, (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ, (Ephesians 4:13-15).
To gain the most we can in our spiritual growth the way God designed it, requires devotion and commitment. We must put in the time. We must do our part. Jesus already did His.
Following His Divine Example
If we slow down just a little – actually make it a point to “be still and know” every day – our lives will greatly benefit. Jesus tells us so.
Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light, (Matthew 11:28-30).
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own, (Matthew 6:33-34).
Can you imagine living life as fast as a fly and not even taking the time to notice some of the most incredible things God created?
- A baby’s laugh
- The wings of a butterfly slowly opening and closing as it perches on a flower petal
- The rainbow in the sky
- The loyalty of a good dog
- Joy found in just spending a day relaxing with your spouse
- The array of colors in the flames of a camp fire
- How the warm sand feels between your toes
More important than missing out on God’s majestic creations is missing out on God.
How to Become the Swatter –
Admitting you have a problem is the first step. Then, just say no to things that have been keeping you from taking the time to slow down and listen to God. You JUST SAY NO! God must come first. Slam that swatter down on the counter!
In Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon explains that for us to fret and toil over things of this world more importantly than eternal things is a sin and a waste of time. People who live like this are flies.
Keep in mind what we already looked at spoken by Jesus in Matthew, Seek ye first the kingdom of God.
Bring a blessing to yourself by taking time every day to slow down for God.
The alternative is missing out on all God has to offer and wants to shower us with. In my view, in this crazy-busy sinful world, “ain’t nobody got time for that!” We all need as much of God as we can get.
Don’t quickly dismiss the encounters of your life – big or small. Flies behave like that. Let us not rush through life so fast that we miss out on its many blessings. Blessings that God Himself has planned for us – whether they come in the form of a middle-aged woman who speaks with a strong southern twang, a gentle spring rain, or the still, small voice of our Almighty Creator coming to guide, comfort, build-up and love.
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