Prison or Paradise: The Choice is Ours
Pastor Randy Corbin, Transitional Lead Pastor
| I continue to be inspired by people who, in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, rise to heights of joy and service. C. S. Lewis is another in this hall of fame composed of “knowns” and “unknowns.” For more than a decade he was a virtual nurse-maid and house-servant to Mrs. Minto Moore, being called upon every ten to fifteen minutes to either get some tea, to take out her dog, or to handle some other humbling task. Yet never did he bemoan his situation. In fact, those were his most productive years, producing an average of one book per year – including the famed, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe – and at the same time tutoring at Oxford. His brother, Warnie, who lived under the same roof and watched all this observed, “Never does he complain but kindly and joyfully carries out his service.” Lewis wrote all of his works during that time in five and ten minute snatches, simply leaving his paper and fountain pens (he wrote all his works by hand) on his writing table so he could pick up where he left off for the next ten minute flurry of writing. Never did he see his situation as a prison or desert. He saw beauty and not bane, pleasure and not pain. I wonder what I might have seen. Where are we at this moment? In a prison feeling sentenced to humdrum, fruitless weekly repeats, slaves to a congregation of ingrates? Or, in a jungle where despite the snakes and scorpions we are enjoying the pleasures of beauty, family, and friendships, focusing not on what is but what can be and will be. Whether our life is a prison or a paradise has much to do with our choice. On what will we focus? And, where will we choose to stand? Years ago, someone said to me, “Randy, your attitude is everything.” Will we choose to be a thermometer going up and down depending on our circumstances or will we be a thermostat making the difference in our circumstance? Our current situation can be likened to a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us depends upon what we are made of. An often quoted little story goes something like this: “Two men looked through prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw stars.” So, what are we seeing today? Prison or paradise: the choice is really ours! |
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