As
an author and film producer, Bill Myers’s work has won over 70 national and
international awards including the C.S. Lewis Honor Award. His books and videos,
which include Eli and McGee and Me, have sold 8 million
copies. His most recent book, The Jesus Experience - Journey Deeper into the
Heart of God, explores how he went from a burned-out evangelical to
someone head-over-heels in love with his Creator. www.billmyers.com
THE JOY OF OBEDIENCE
As a child in Seattle, I loved going to
the Seafair Parade – especially when the Seafair pirates threw handfuls of
candy onto the street from their float. That’s when the kids would run out,
screaming and fighting, pushing and shoving, to get a piece of candy . . . as
their parents laughed and clapped and shouted encouragement.
This was called “entertainment.”
One time when I was four or five, we got
a perfect seat right on the curb. From there, I would be able to race ahead of
the other kids and get a piece of candy, maybe two. But as the float approached
and I prepared to make my move, my mom bent down to me and said, “Billy, I
don’t want you going out there.”
What?
I couldn’t believe my ears. I had the perfect seat. I was primed and ready. And
now I was just supposed to sit there and watch everyone else run out to get
their prize? Talk about unfair! It made no sense. But I obeyed. I sat there
brokenhearted, tears streaming down my face as the pirates threw candy and my
friends screamed and fought and laughed and pushed for their piece. I’ll never
forget the pain and disappointment.
But there’s something else I’ll never
forget . . .
As the float approached, it slowed to a
stop. Through my tears I saw the head pirate reach into the barrel and pull out
a giant handful of candy. He stepped down from the float and, in front of
everybody, walked directly to me, bent over, and dumped the entire handful into
my lap.
The incident changed my life.
At the tender age of four or five, I
learned the power of obedience, even when it didn’t make sense. I learned that
if I did God’s will, some how, some way everything else would fall into place.
Take my word on that. Better yet, take His:
“But
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given
to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
