Lonnie's Notes

A man or woman can work a lifetime to build a reputation and yet have his or her life defined in a single act. On January 14, 2009, few people knew who Chesley Sullenberger was. He was just another unknown airline pilot. On January 15

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all of that changed. He was the pilot in charge of US Airways Flight 1549 as they flew over the Hudson River in Manhatten, New York. Things went wrong and Captain Sullenberger landed his passenger jet in the Hudson river. There was no loss of life and the previously unknown pilot became an instant national hero.

This article is not about his flying skills. In the months that followed this event, Captain Sullenberger wrote a book called “Highest Duty.” In his book he tells of what life is like with his new hero status. When he speaks over the intercom on flights, after he says his name he has to pause because the people on the flight clap for him. Experiencing this, he wrote,

"I flew thousands of flights in the past 42 years but my entire career is now being judged by how I performed on one of them. This has been a reminder to me that we need to try to do the right thing every time to perform at our best because we never know which moment in our lives we will be judged on."

As you read this passage again, think of two short verses from God’s Word.

(1) Ecclesiastes 7:1 – “A good name is better than fine perfume.”

For all those times when you get it right there is a great reward. It is not someday in the sky, but now. Because you did the right thing, you have a good name.

(2) Ecclesiastes 10:1 – "As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor."

For those times when you get it wrong, for those times when you act out or make poor choices, there are always consequences. A dead fly in the perfume runs everything.

Be on guard to how you live your life. You reputation here and eternity there hang in the balance. A moment of folly or a moment of greatness can change everything.

Lonnie Davis

A Can of Corn

When Liz and I first married we learned many things from each other. She was a country girl and I was a city boy. I was from Houston, Texas (Population 1,000,000 +). She was from Jack’s Creek, Tennessee (Population 100+).  That is a cultural clash. My first church was in a farming community. One day my country wife told me that we were going to go get corn and took me to a farm where we picked our own corn. We shucked it, cut it off the cob and made our own cream style corn. I did not say so at the time, but I thought it was not very good. I liked canned corn. I was very young and very, very ignorant.

Growing up my mother made corn often. She would go the pantry, get a can, open it and pour it into a pan. When the temperature was right she would serve it to us. Hmmmm, good! (I hope I did not give away her secret recipe).

Over the years I have learned the difference between superior and inferior corn. Taste is a funny thing. One can get used too things that are not very good. One can even learn to think that inferior stuff is superior stuff.

It is a principle that is as old as the world. Cain thought inferior worship was better than faith worship (Genesis 4). Demas though the world was superior to serving with Paul. (2 Timothy 4:10). Judas thought 30 pieces of silver was better than walking with Jesus.

Unfortunately it is a principle that still allures people today. Everyday people choose the world over the spirit. Everyday people choose sin over righteousness. Everyday people choose lies over truth. Everyday we all have to make those same choices. Joshua challenged Israel:

“If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15).

“No one can serve two masters,” Jesus said (Matthew 6:24). We must learn to choose the superior ways of the Spirit over the inferior ways of the world. This choice should be a “can of corn” for a Christian (That means easy). Choose to follow Jesus.

Lonnie Davis

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