Random Thoughts of a Common Man

PREFACE

I believe it was Abraham Lincoln that said, God must love the common man, because He made so many of them. If that is true, God seems to be in the minority, because not too many other folks are all that excited about the common man. How many books have you read, that were written by a common man? How often do you buy a ticket to go hear a common man speak? We want to read and listen to those with uncommon ability and talent. We are interested in what the powerful, rich and successful people have to say. Does that mean the common man has nothing to offer? Are his thoughts and opinions without value? I think not. There are many people who say they speak for the common man. The problem with that is, if anyone is listening to them; they are probably not a common man. They have some drive, or position or enough wealth to get access to mass media. How often have you heard some politician say The American people demand, or think, or want…. and you say to yourself I am an American and that is not what I demand, think or want. The American form of government allows us to pick people to represent what the majority of us want and to protect the rights of the minority. However our choice is limited to those who, in one way or another, have been able to distinguish themselves from the common man. They may have come from humble beginnings, but in some way they have risen to a position that puts them above the common man. In my opinion the problem that has developed over the years is those who are picked become isolated from the people who picked them. They may have good intentions, but they begin to believe, because of their position or inside information, they know what is best for the people whether the people want it or not.

I am writing this book, because I am a common man. I am not rich, or powerful, nor do I have any great talent. I am like millions of other people who live and die and go unnoticed by the majority of people. Yet I do have thoughts and opinions, and occasionally a worth while idea. Not just on politics, but on all aspects of life. I must clarify my status a little bit more. I am a common man in America, which in many ways is different from the rest of the world. I can not speak for the average person in China, or India, or Afghanistan. My thoughts and opinions have been in a large measure formed by the culture and experiences that are common here in America. I would not even claim that I speak for the majority of Americans, because of the wide range of cultures within the United States. I speak as a common man who gets frustrated with those who have the power and authority to control many areas of my life and tell me it is for my own good. The more I think about it the more I realize that in one sense the common man does not exist. At least it is hard to define the common man, because even if our experiences are relatively the same, the way we think and react to those experiences vary greatly from individual to individual. So I guess I can only speak for me. That being said, I think that is true of anyone. When it comes right down to where the rubber meets the road, the only person you can really speak for is yourself. All the various leaders of the world say they are speaking for the people that they represent, that they just want the best for those people. Yet what they want is based on their ideas of right and wrong. Their interpretation of whatever moral code it is that they have chosen to be their guide. That is how leaders throughout history have justified war, murder, greed and a host of other atrocities.

The purpose of this book is to express the thoughts and feelings of the common, average or perhaps more accurately, the unheard man. One of the millions that have lived and died and gone unnoticed by the majority of the world. I trust you will relate to some of them, I know that you will disagree with some of them. There will not be a lot of footnotes with references that you can check to make sure the facts are correct. This is after all just an opinion paper, my opinion, based on the way I perceive the world. I hope you will go away with the feeling that in many areas, your opinions are as valuable as the next persons. When, I say everyone has a right to have an opinion, does not mean that there are not any absolutes in the world. It might be your opinion that you can jump out of a ten-story window land on concrete and not be hurt. Your opinion won’t change the fact that if you jump out of a ten-story window and land on concrete you will most likely wind up dead. Just as there are physical laws that are not effected by our opinions, there are moral absolutes that can not be changed by our opinion. However, there are many areas outside of absolute right and wrong. It is when we talk about those things, we need to stop and really listen, sense and feel the world as those around us see it. Perhaps then, we would make changes that would go a long way in making this world a better place for all of us.

With the invention of the internet the average man can now reach out and touch the whole world. The recent fad of Blogs, U-Tube, Twitter, Face book, Instant messaging has made it possible for anyone to express his or her opinion and have it read by millions instantly. So why write a book? As great as the internet is for disseminating information, and letting people express themselves, for me it does have some drawbacks. A person can get on the internet and claim to be anyone they want to be and most of us have no way knowing who they really are. They can make statements that are suppose to be factual without presenting any kind of tangible proof. They can spread these facts to millions of people all over the world, faster than the facts can be checked. If they are false, many, who accepted them as truth, will never see the corrections. A book may be slower, and probably won’t reach as many people, but it is much more stable. The author is much easier to find, and if it contains factual material, the editors check those facts before it is printed. When I first thought of writing a book I thought I would fill it with comments on all areas of life, sports, politics, religion etc. However, when I got started I realized that if I was going to put something in print that could be around for a long time, it should be something that could have lasting value. So the following thoughts are religious in nature, because how we function in our spiritual life will have an eternal effect.

My desire is to take advantage of the Internet and the printed word. The world of the Internet with its instant communication and the world of books which is a quieter more stable world. That is why there is room after each comment for you to make some notes to yourself about the article. If you would like to express your opinion to the author send it to gkj101@gmail.com. I trust you will use both options and in that way help us all to grow.

© RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A COMMON MAN

Gerald Johnson

Copyright 2009 by Gerald Johnson

Smashwords Edition

Author’s note: You will find some Biblical references in many of the thoughts expressed here. Have a King James Version or a NIV bible handy so you can look up the reference and make sure I am not taking something out of context. I could include the quotes in the article, but this is my way of encouraging you to see the larger context.

CONTENTS

LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

SIGNIFICANCE

RECKON/REIGN/YIELD

SOMETHING TO HANG ON TO

ALONE

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE

A REASONABLE EXPECTATION

SUNRISE SUNSET

WANTS AND WISHES

LOVE AND WISDOM, TEACHABLE??

CHANGE

LESSONS FROM THE FARM

A TALE OF TWO PROPHETS

STILL STANDING --- STILL SITTING

TRUTH

ALOHA

WOULD IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE

THE SIXTH SENSE

PRAYER

FAITH

PRAYER II

HOPE

FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE

LOVE

LOVE IN ACTION

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

END OF LIFE

RESPONSIBILITIES

FAMILY

LARGE OR SMALL

AMAZING GRACE

NONE SO BLIND AS THOSE WHO WILL NOT SEE

HURRY

WHICH QUESTION IS THE RIGHT QUESTION

THE ANATOMY OF A DREAM

A ONE TRACK MIND

A MIND DIVIDED

SOMETHING SPECIAL

JUSTICE

ENJOYING THE BOAT RIDE? HOW ABOUT A NICE WALK?

REALITY

BLESSINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED

TUNNEL VISION

BETTER TO RECEIVE THAN TO GIVE

DISCOURAGED???

OUTWARD APPEARANCES

RUB A DUB, DUB SCRUB, SCRUB, SCRUB

CHANGE

BACK TO THE BASICS

TIME

BONDING

ALMOST

ONE BODY, MANY PARTS

INTERRUPTION

SEPERATION

SCI-FI

TO DO OR NOT TO DO

OOPS

IT IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT

BOUNDARIES—CONFINING OR FREEING

GOOD AND BAD

SPLIT PERSONALITIES

UPS AND DOWNS

ANCHOR

GROWING UP

BULLDOZER--PINBALL

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

SHOCKING

YES-NO-ER MAYBE

CHOICES- CONSEQUENCES

NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO THERE YOU ARE

DO YOU HAVE ANY ENEMIES

WHAT’S UP WITH SICK PEOPLE??

WHAT IF?

MEANINGS

I HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL

MOUNTAINS OR MOLE HILLS

JUST ANOTHER DAY

JUST ANOTHER LIFE

WHATEVER

EXPECTATIONS

STRAIGHT AND NARROW

DUTY

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR

FORGIVENESS

THE REAL WORLD

THANKSGIVING

SOLUTION TOO CLOSE

WHAT IS THE ROOT PROBLEM?

BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER

EASTER THOUGHTS

PROMISES, PROMISES

WHEN TIME AND SPACE HAVE NO MEANING

DISSECTING OR DIGESTING

ANOTHER LOOK AT FORGIVENESS

ANOTHER THOUGHT ABOUT FORGIVENESS

THAT AIN’T NATURAL

BUSY BUSY BUSY

THE END IS NEAR

WHAT’S THE POINT

SURPRISE

TOLERANCE

WHAT IF IT WERE TODAY?

TOO LATE

HAVING A BAD DAY?

RESPONSIBILITY

VACATION

QUESTIONS

GOD LOVES YOU

GIVEN MUCH, MUCH WILL BE DEMANDED

UNCERTAIN

WHY?

SEEING JESUS

DRIFT DRIFT DRIFT DRIFTING AWAY

EARTHEN VESSELS

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

BLACK AND WHITE, OR GRAY

RAIN OR SHINE

WORLD’S GONE CRAZY

FAITHFUL

PERSEVERANCE

ANYONE PRAYING FOR U.S.

TEST TIME

IT’S NOT OVER TILL IT’S OVER

HIS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS

LADY JANE

1.LIFE THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING

So how does life look to the common man? That is a question that has as many answers as there are people. Even if you got the answers from all the people they would change the next time you ask because the circumstances change. To those at the top of the ladder life must look wonderful and exciting. Yet, you hear that many at the top are desperate and unfulfilled and some even commit suicide. To those at the bottom of the ladder life must be dark, dull and frustrating. Yet, there are those at the bottom who appear to be content and doing well in their surroundings. So what about the man in the middle of the ladder, the one, I am calling the common man? How does that man look at life, the universe, and everything? With a myopic set of eyes. He is more concerned with what effects him directly, than he is with the great scheme of the universe. Are there ever times when he thinks of the greater universe that is outside of his own realm? Sure, but those are rare moments. To those who are desperately poor life centers around surviving from one day to the next. To the common man as I am defining him, life does not have that narrow a focus, but it is not too far removed. His concerns are for him and his family and their immediate needs. Next he looks for how he can improve things for him and his family in the near future. Dwelling upon long range plans and the greater meaning of life are not beyond his grasp; they are just beyond his day to day interest. Political systems and world events are only of real interest to him if they have some kind of impact on him or his family. He may get into some heated discussions about politics and world affairs, but it is in the same way he would discuss some sporting event. He has an opinion and if he were in charge things would be different, but it is just talk. He will never coach a professional sports team, and he will never be a political power. It is not that he does not care, it is just that he does not have the time or energy to spend on things that do not directly impact his life.

The range is the same up and down the ladder. Some are happy and fulfilled some are angry and desperate. The one thing that all of us have in common is fulfillment and happiness does not come from what surrounds us, but from what is inside of us. If you are healthy, wealthy, good looking, and wise is it easier to be happy and fulfilled? Of course it is. If you are ugly, sickly, poor and stupid is it easier to be angry and sad? It certainly is, however, neither set of circumstances, guarantees you will feel one way or the other. Those that are happy and content are people who have learned to control their circumstances. That does not mean they are always able to change their circumstances, but they are not controlled by their circumstances. What role do circumstances play in making a man common or great? There was a rumor that a former President of the USA lamented that nothing as tragic as the events of 9/11 happened while he was president, so he could not demonstrate what a great leader he was. It is true that circumstances have caused some common men to behave in an uncommon manner. There have been many uncommon acts of bravery and self-sacrifice through out history by ordinary people faced with extra ordinary circumstances. However, few are given the opportunity to face those kinds of circumstances and for that we should be grateful, because normally great pain and loss is attached to those kinds of circumstances. .

So as the common man goes through his common every day life, what is the meaning of life the universe and everything? One author wrote that the answer to the meaning life the universe and everything was 42. Off course that is a nonsensical answer. However, if you look at the meaning of life that most people seem to have, from a cosmic viewpoint, their answers are just as nonsensical. To the common man it means providing for himself and those he loves. The meaning of life is defined by what they have personally accomplished in their personal or work lives. When things are going bad life has no meaning, when things are going well, life makes sense. In other words they have a very narrow or shortsighted view of life. For we find it hard to look at life from a reference point that is outside of our own experience. Most people exclude God from their everyday thinking. God is someone that you bring out to cover the unexplainable. As a last resort we say God only knows why this or that happens. In that way we can absolve ourselves or others who were involved in the situation from any responsibility for what happened. If we were to make God a part of our every day life and try to find His direction for our lives, we would have to take more responsibility for our choices. We would also have to look at the bigger picture when it comes to life. For God is not at work in just our life. He is at work in the whole world and each of us has a part in that world. We would need to understand that our actions effect us as individuals and they also have an effect on the community as a whole. We would need to understand that no matter how small a pebble we may be, when we are thrown into a pond the ripples spread through out the whole pond.

It is not that the average man cannot comprehend the idea expressed above, the problem is he is just to busy living life to give it much thought. Some are very busy seeking power or money or fame or all three. Others are just trying to survive from day to day. The first group over estimates the value of their thoughts and ideas to change the world. Their plans to make the world a better placed are very self-centered and compared to the universe and eternity very short sighted. Those in the second group are much to busy just trying to survive, to spend any time or energy on the over all meaning of life. Why do we pay move stars and athletes way more than they are worth? Because for a short time they take us away from our ordinary lives. By watching them we become part of something that is larger and more exciting than our daily life. Just as the politician represents us in the political world and does things we can not do, the athletes and actors do things that we would like to do in the real world if we could.

When we look at the lives of those who have the money, power and fame that we think we want, what do we see? Many times we see disappointed and disillusioned people. They fail in the same basic ways we all fail, and many times on a grander scale. Even their failures become a distraction for the rest of us. We are amazed how someone can have so many advantages and still make a mess of their life. If we had that talent, or money or power we wouldn’t make those kind of stupid mistakes. Yes, we would. The seed of our destruction is buried deep inside all of us. There is a natural law that states things go from order to chaos. The same law works in mankind. Man left to himself will always go down hill. Those that live for themselves or focus just on what can be done in this lifetime leave little behind of lasting value. History has proved that over and over. Change for the better must come from outside of mankind. That is why societies that try and deny the existence of God are doom to fail. What is true of societies is also true of individuals.

The people who are remembered the longest are not those who have earned the most money or held some kind of power for a period of time. The people who have had the greatest effect on history are those who have lived for a cause that was greater than any one individual. The person who has had the greatest effect on human history, was not rich and never held a political office. He spent most of his time with a small group of men in a small backward country. Yet what he said, taught and did, has effected the lives of millions for thousands of years. Of course, that man’s name was Jesus Christ and even though He had the right, even He did not live for His own desires. He came to do the will of His Heavenly Father. The answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is God. He always has been and always will be.

2. YESTERDAY AND TODAY

We can learn much from the study of the past, but we can not accomplish much if we live in the past. It is very counter productive to try and re-invent the wheel every day. We need to look at our past mistakes and success’s to eliminate one and build on the other. However, there is the danger that we might hang on to the memory of past mistakes and not be able to move on to new victories. The same danger is present if we dwell on past success and assume we are not capable of failure. There is a story in the Bible of a prophet that confronted a King concerning one of the King’s past failures.

The parable that Nathan told made David stop and look at the sin he had committed in the past. David faced it and truly repented. David was told that his baby son would die because of David’s sin, and when the baby became sick, David put on sack cloth and began fasting, pleading with God to save the baby. He was so sad and desperate that the servants were afraid to tell him that the baby had died, because they did not know what he would do. They did not think David could get past his mistake. When David found out the baby was dead, he got dressed and started eating and acting like a king should act. While there was a chance that God might spare the baby, David wanted to show that he knew he had been wrong and was very sorry for what he had done. When the baby died, he accepted God’s will and went back to ruling his kingdom, as he should.

There is the possibility that when we look back at the mistakes we have made in the previous year or years, we will be sad and long for the consequences to go away. We may plead with God to remove them and in a sense put on sack cloth and ashes and act in such a way that people around us are concerned for our health. We can spend so much time and energy dwelling on past mistakes that we are not able to function properly in the present. That kind of remorse and regret serves no useful purpose. If there is something that can be done to repair the mistake we should do it, wishing something never happened will not do us or anyone else any good. Like David, we need to accept the consequences of our actions that can not be changed and move on to the work that can be done in the present

Our God is the God of the second chance, or third or fourth or fifth etc. chance. We may face some serious consequences of past mistakes that will not just go away, but as long as God has left us here, He has work for us to do. We need to take each New Year, new month, new week, or new day to do that work. We should learn from the past, but we can not afford to live in the past.

Unfortunately the majority of the people do not have a sense that there is a God who has called them to anything. They plow through life doing the best they can and most of the time thinking life does not make much sense. If your perceptions are not filtered through some spiritual or eternal filter, most of life will not make sense. If you can not see some over all plan that is being worked out in past events, and is heading toward completion in the future, the present tends to be pointless. It is not surprising that so many people drink or use drugs or indulge in some other things to excess, it is surprising that so many live relatively normal lives.

Watch a new baby or young child experience life. Everything is new and exciting. There is so much to explore and things to learn about and experience. As we grow older the world tends to become much less interesting. All the things that look new and interesting cost money. The average person spends so much time trying to earn the money, if he ever gets enough he is in no shape to enjoy what looked so good a few years back. With age also comes the gnawing thought that this life just can’t be all there is. It is too short and there is way too much universe to experience in just one lifetime. It is sad that so many are so focused on getting something or getting somewhere that they never learn to enjoy the trip.

To experience peace and contentment we need to learn to appreciate each new day. As routine as your day may seem, there will never be another 24 hours quite like today. You can concentrate on all the things that are the same each day, or you can look for those things that are different each day. You can spend your time regretting all the missed opportunities in the past, or find ways to seize the opportunities in the present. Everyone has probably watched a little child get more pleasure out of the wrapping paper and box that the toy comes in, than they do out of he toy. If we are truly going to enjoy our life we need to learn to enjoy all the things that are going on during the routine days not just the things that are so called special events. Many times we work franticly trying to achieve some goal and when we do achieve it we are terribly disappointed. It is like all the hype that goes on before the Super Bowl in football. Everyone’s expectations are raised to extreme heights. When