The Shepherd's Staff

The movie Forrest Gump ¹ features a mentally-challenged, but good-natured, individual who, unwittingly, plays an influential role in the many historical and cultural events of his day.  As the story develops, we watch with amusement as Forrest (played by actor Tom Hanks) impacts the lives of a variety of characters (including three U. S. presidents).

One such person in Forrest’s life was “Bubba,” an Army buddy beside whom he would fight during his tour of duty in Vietnam.  Bubba is an endearing friend with one, all-consuming goal in life.  Once he gets out of the Army, he wants to go into business as a “shrimper.”

• (Scene:  As the company learns how to assemble their field rifles, Bubba is talking to Forrest) “What ya’ do is ya’ just drag yow nets along the bottom.  On a good day you kin catch over a hunerd pounds a shrimp.  Everything goes aw right, two men shrimpin’ ten hours, less what ya’ spend on gas” … (the drill instructor interrupts him at this point, then walks away) … “Anyway, like ah was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit-o-thuh-sea.  You kin Bah B Q it, bawl it, brawl it, bake it, sauté it, they’s shrimp kabob, shrimp Creole …”

• (Scene change:  Forrest and Bubba are now shining their boots) “… shrimp gumbo, you kin pan fry it, deep fry it, stuh fry it, they’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, peppa shrimp …”

• (Scene change:  Forrest and Bubba are now polishing the barrack’s floor with toothbrushes) “… shrimp soooup, shrimp steeew, shrimp saaalad, shrimp in potatas, shrimp burga, shrimp sanwich” … (pause) … “that’s, that’s about it.” – Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue (superbly played by actor Mykelti Williamson).

No doubt about it.  The one, all-consuming passion of Bubba’s life was the business of shrimp.  His vision was to turn this “fruit-o-thuh-sea” into a profit.

But did we really catch all that was there in this snapshot of Bubba?  We may have been so busy chuckling over his list of shrimp cuisine that we missed the depth of his business savvy.  Let’s take a second look at Bubba, the entrepreneur:

• He apparently had in his favor the asset of experience … the know-how … to realize a successful venture:  “What ya’ do is ya’ just drag yow nets along the bottom.”

• He had a realistic view of possible revenue:  “On a good day … (if) everything goes aw right ….”

• He was able to project a realistic estimate on the volume of a day’s harvest:  “you kin catch over a hunerd pounds a shrimp.”

• He knew the exact number of employees he would need:  “two men shrimpin.’ ”

• He knew the number of hours they would need to work each day:  “ten hours.”

• He knew what his overhead would be:  “less what ya’ spend on gas.”

• And he knew the many uses the consumer would have for his product:  “You kin Bah B Q it, bawl it, brawl it, bake it ….”

No, we should not underestimate this thoughtful businessman.  There was nothing reckless about him or his dream.  And yet, as with even the best of plans, there was always the lurking threat of the unexpected:

a diminished supply of shrimp because of competition …

a setback in the seafood industry because of a hurricane …

a loss of personnel because of death.

An unforeseen setback can alter – indeed, it can slam to the ground – the best of plans.  No matter how well it has been thought through … no matter what level of expertise is brought to the table … no matter how much blood, sweat and tears is poured into it … no matter what level of passion drives the person, the fact is

this world does not promise to take care of us.

During the Great Depression of the last century, a “no confidence” attitude prevailed toward this country’s financial institutions.  It seems the market had become “overheated,” fueled in part by money borrowed on credit.  Investors had left nothing in reserve.  (Sound familiar?)  The result was a collapsed economy.

The photographs of this decade that stick in our minds are of men … long lines of men … in tattered clothes … with stooped shoulders … shuffling toward a soup kitchen.  What is so sobering about these images is that these individuals were not 2^nd and 3^rd generation welfare cases.  Many of them had been successful investors just a few years earlier during the bull market of the “roaring” 1920’s.

This same situation can repeat itself … in a heartbeat.  (Consider the fear recently generated throughout Europe from Greece’s failed economy.  And did you notice the effect China’s faltering economy had on many Americans’ retirement accounts?)  In today’s global market this “domino effect” is an ever-present risk.  Even for those with a lot of experience, a lot of know-how, a lot of elbow grease, and a lot of drive, the fact is

this world does not promise to take care of us.

But there is Someone who does.  And the promise He makes has been offered throughout the ages to all whose hearts are fully given to Him:

Do not worry then, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear for clothing?”  For … your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things [necessities: food, drink, clothing] will be added to you.  (Matthew 6:31-33, brackets mine)

But did you notice the condition attached to this promise?  It is the condition of devotion.  What does devotion (“seek first”) have to do with faith in God (to keep His promise of provision)?

The fact is, you and I have only one heart apiece … which means we cannot have two all-consuming passions.  We will either run after the Lord or we will run after the fool’s gold this world dangles in front of us.  But we cannot love both … which brings us to this eternal principle:

the object of one’s passion reveals the object of one’s faith

We pursue the thing that “fills our souls” (at least, we think it can).  Those who love this world foolishly look to this world to meet their needs.  As a result, they go through life anxious about life … and rightly so.  They should be worried because the only guarantee this world has to offer is the promise of shifting sand.

But to those whose hearts are sold out to the Lord God … to those who place their faith in the faithful One … God has given this bedrock guarantee:

I will take care of you.

This great promise may be found embedded within another of God’s Hebrew names, Yahweh Yireh, “the LORD will provide.”  It is a name that promises to meet our needs … and it comes from One Who cannot lie.  So, the question before us is not, “Will God keep His Word?” because that is a given.  No, the question before us is this:

What is my one, all-consuming passion?

because whatever it is, know for certain that

the object of your passion reveals the object of your faith

How to discover your heart’s passion is discussed in The God of Our Lives, chapter 5:  “Our God is a Gracious Provider.”

Click here to view this course:  THE GOD OF OUR LIVES

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Click here to read the entire 1^ST chapter of The God of Our Lives: YAHWEH, OUR GOD IS OUR CREATOR

To the readers within the believing community:  I would greatly appreciate your prayers, that the Master-Teacher would be the Author of these writings.

¹   Forrest Gump, directed by Robert Zemeckis; produced by Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, Steve Starkey, and Charles Newirth; screenplay by Eric Roth; based on the 1986 novel, Forrest Gump, by author Winston Groom; starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field; release date July 6, 1994.