Are You a Lion Player or Lion Slayer?

I've been thinking a lot about David, the shepherd boy. He loved God so much. He spent a lot of time with his sheep. He knew them and he knew their enemies. He protected them when he killed the lion and the bear AND the giant. He had the incredible ability to conquer those "normally" scary, life-threatening opponents.

I thought about him again when I heard Dr. Dan Posey at Texas A&M speak for the Vet School Open House on Saturday. He told us his "lion story" when he was a Vet School student. He was asked to help with unloading a tranquilized, 600 pound lion. But when he went to grab for his head, the lion started to bite at him. Posey's gut feeling was "This lion isn't asleep!" In his humorous style, he said, "When it doesn't feel right -- it's probably not right." I would suggest that feeling is WISDOM. Posey went on to pull the lion out and put it on the ground, but the lion got up. He asked us, "What would be your instinct?" Someone yelled out, "RUN!" But he said it didn't even enter his mind to run. His instinct was "I can't let this lion get away!" All the other vet students had run away. He thought "What can I give him? I'm graduating in 3 months, so I'm not going to give him my hands. Then I thought of having children, so I'm not going to give him those body parts, so I lifted my leg to protect myself and he grabbed my leg. He drug me 25 feet. That day I saw a miracle. Everyday we should acknowledge miracles of all kinds. We carry cell phones. They are miracles. That day, my professor jumped off a 6 ft platform and nailed the lion. They got the lion tranquilized, but the lion got up and was coming after me again and I put my arm up over my face and he grabbed my arm. A technician got him and pulled him off of me." Posey spent several days in the hospital recovering from his wounds, but he lives today to tell his famous lion story to people about his experiences and love for his career. He wasn't a lion slayer but a lion player.

There's two schools of thought here.....being a protector of your body, your sheep, your resources or talents and slaying the lion that comes after those things that are nearest and dearest to you OR playing with the lion and leaving wisdom out of the equation. I think the common denominator here is "protection". David protected his sheep. Posey was protecting the lion, but in doing so, failed to comprehend the instincts of the King of the Jungle and he failed to use wisdom.

I think of the scripture 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." We are involved in combat with an enemy who is powerful and deceptive. Strong confidence in God doesn't justify carelessness. We still need to be alert. He is dangerous. He’s not a joke. He’s not a little person who sits on our shoulder trying to influence us. But, here's the deal -- he is just "LIKE" a roaring lion and his first priority is to intimidate us. He's looking for an opportunity to catch us unaware. As in any sport we have to know our opponent and what he's capable of. Like David, we must be prepared for the times when the lion, the bear and the giant come against us. Not so much to KNOW the enemy, but Jesus Christ Who is our defender, strong tower and victorious Lord. I choose to be a "lion slayer" like "David" -- to know when to "hold 'em" and know when to "fold 'em"....er....know when to slay them.

Casting Vision

After two weeks before and two weeks after of helping my son and daughter's move from Seattle to Texas, I left Austin early yesterday morning, to travel and meet up with my Dallas/Frisco crew at College Station, home of Texas A&M, Larry’s alma mater. There's something about the pride one has for their college or university, but Texas A&M (The 12th Man) graduates seem to have a pride beyond compare. I felt it as I arrived on campus. I was inspired just walking on those grounds.

But this day was about Lexi. She and Payton, both, aspire to follow in their Dad’s footsteps, and attend A&M. We attended the Open House for those who hope to “make the cut” as veterinary students.

Our first session was at 9 am. Dr. Dan Posey, the Director of Veterinary Student Affairs and Clinical Professor, gave any potential vet student every reason in the world to want to attend A&M's Vet School. He was humorous and passionate about his career. He explained how he personally benefitted from the field of veterinarian medicine. He said the diabetic pump was first tested on animals, and now because of that breakthrough, he wears a diabetic pump with gratitude for veterinarian research.

When I heard him talk about the qualities of vets, I had to think how these qualities should be in every one of our lives:

1) They have compassion and passion.

2) They are knowledgeable and trainable.

3) They have the ability to apply their skills.

4) They are intellectually curious.

5) They are very observant.

6) They are community leaders.

Don't those qualities sound like a well-rounded individual who desires to be the best they can be in whatever career they choose.

He told us that his first choice in life was to be a professional basketball player so his Dad took him to a college game. He realized, as he watched that game, he didn’t have the size or the skills he needed to be a professional athlete. It was then that his Dad discussed options for his future. He reminded him about his abilities in math and science and his love for animals. He said, “How about considering becoming a veterinarian? Only as a 7th grader, that day, his Dad helped him cast vision for his future. He attended Texas A&M and became a veterinarian, went on to work with various areas of vet medicine and has been a professor at Texas A&M for many years. He is passionate about his field.

Casting vision. That’s what we did with Lexi today. She's only 14 years old, but she already has a "bent" toward animals and already possesses many of those "veterinarian" qualities. She saw many exhibits of animals being treated for various issues. She saw a pregnant goat having an ultra-sound. She saw dogs, cats, cattle, horses, birds, snakes, armadillo and had hands-on experiences and heard teaching about their habitats, the foods (toxic and non-toxic) they can or cannot eat, and so much more. She saw vet students who exhibited a love for their studies. Lexi's mom and dad (and her Nana) care about what she cares about so vision casting is what this day was about. Whether she pursues this field or not….she has cheerleaders who say to her “You can be anything you want to be and do.”

Isn’t that what God helps us to do with our lives? He says in Habakkuk 2:2 “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it." Are we casting vision for ourselves, our children and others for what we hope to accomplish in our homes, our workplaces, our ministries and our relationships? Whose cheerleader can we be? Whose expectations, vision, and hope can we stir up today? The sky is the limit when we realize "With God, nothing is impossible."

By the way -- check out the sign with the Texas Longhorn -- of course his "use" is to be "meat" for the Aggies! LOL!