Advice is often welcomed, sometimes followed, but rarely totally ignored. Most humans recognize we need input from others to aid us in our daily walk.
Often the help comes from family and friends. Print material, or ‘Dear Abbey’ supply hints to help us survive. Other times our ears listen to unwise words, perhaps from unwanted phone calls or social media. We need to be alert, sorting the authentic from unwise advice.
Thankfully, we are not alone, as we take our stroll in life. As I write this message, I’m listening to an old, familiar song, You’ll Never Walk Alone. The chorus arrived and my mouth immediately wanted to join in with the lyrics.
“Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone.”
I try to take advice from trusted leaders or mentors. Certainly, my mother provided the initial input, and what a wise counsel she was, even though at the time, being a normal teenager, I probably did not always appreciate the counsel. Church leaders, teachers, and friends, both young and old, modeled ways to take life’s stroll through my eighty-eight years of existence.
Never, however, has a polar bear supplied serious thoughts for my consideration. Considering they generally live alone in the Arctic, I don’t believe I have ever even bumped into one, except maybe in an occasional zoo excursion. In fact, I would not even have wanted to join them for dinner, with their habit of eating dead fish, stranded whales, and even garbage. Well, yes, I have never eaten a live fish, but I wonder how long their dead fish might have been rotting along the banks of the ocean. Yuk!
Polar bears must swim from one piece of ice to another, sometimes as much as thirty miles in a stretch. One is recorded swimming up to two-hundred-twenty miles. I have been known to swim the length of an average public pool, and then decided it is time for a big Pepsi or a snooze. Don’t think I’ll take swimming lessons from this white fur ball.
Actually, a polar bear’s skin is jet black under their fur, which has no color at all. It only looks white because it reflects visible light, allowing them to blend into their surroundings, or as the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood mumbled to Little Red, “All the better to see you with.” I feel sorry for the unsuspecting ‘seal dinner’ about to be consumed by Mr. Bear.
Then the unexpected happened. A card arrived, allegedly implying a polar bear was sending me helpful information. The advice was most interesting. Six items were included:
Live large
Be thick-skinned
Sniff out opportunities
Learn some good icebreakers
Be fearless
Keep Cool
The more I reviewed the list, the more I realized these are sound bits of wisdom for both bears and humans.
‘Live large’ is very appropriate for the average eight-foot long, eight-hundred-pound carnivore. Although I’m a minnow in comparison, certainly thinking big, and out of the box is great for a Christ-follower. The world is huge, and many need to become aware of our God and how his love can extend to each person on this earth, or in our whale’s ocean.
‘Thick-skinned’ keeps our icy, winter winds from turning us blue. But digging deeper, perhaps each of us gets offended at times, hurt by someone’s comments, or feels sad when over-looked for center on the local football team. Sadness and isolation cause others to feel blue. Separation from church gatherings during Covid-19 deprived many of a sense of community, resulting in withdrawal pains. Good advice from Mr. Bear.
Now, just because polar bears can ‘sniff out’ a seal on the ice up to twenty miles away, does not mean we must inhale more deeply. Matthew 6:33 does say, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, told the audience, don’t worry about life, food, or drink, or even what jeans you are going to wear tomorrow. Then comes the promise: Seek His kingdom and these other life requirements, like nutrition and clothes, will follow. So, go sniffing out opportunities to serve and witness for the Lord.
I suppose polar bears (p-b) must break hunks of ice occasionally to survive and locate food. Never having had a p-b for a friend, I’m just guessing. I do know from experience, that to make newcomers feel welcome, whether at church, home, or at a senior living center, we ‘old-timers’ need to step-up and acknowledge their presence. Meet, greet, and eat with them. Share hints of survival in their new community. Be a gentle friend with a quick smile and simple “How are you today?”
That p-b must have to spot seals or fish quickly if his children are going to have dinner that evening. Our eyes need to scan the foyer, auditorium, and other gathering places for the timid, or visitor, or lonely and quietly move nearby. Shake their hand, smile, share your name, or take a moment to complement them with the beautiful red hair and blue eyes of the wee child in their arms. Go the second step beyond the automatic, “Hi! Glad you’re here.” Help break the ice or awkward barrier for them. You will be assisting them receive God’s Word, the ‘bread of life,’ during the worship service.
‘Be Fearless, but Keep Cool,’ is p-b’s final piece of advice. David modeled ‘fearlessness’ as he bravely grabbed his slingshot and tromped out to meet Giant Goliath. My hands would have been trembling but, apparently, he kept his cool and accomplished the task set before him. Goliath became history and Davey Boy became King.
Wonder what might happen if each of us found one challenge, prepared quickly, and set forth with coolness and calm to witness for the Lord? Think about it.
Let’s Each Be a Polar Bear for the Lord
Kathryn Ransom 