Timeless Truths. Baccalaureate Address: Allspice and Crescent Wrenches - Part 1

This is the first of a series of blog posts that were originally Baccalaureate Addresses for the Monte Vista High School Classes of 1981, 1984, 1985, 1988 and 1 year with no reference date, probably in the 1980s, too.

Originally, each Address was part of a Baccalaureate ceremony. Not once in the five times that I was asked to speak was I given any limitations. Because of that, I preached five sermons with a salvation message in each. I'm grateful to God and the MV Administrations for those opportunities.

For these blog posts, the Addresses are presented over two weeks. They didn't take that long at the time of delivery. Now, part of the second week will be a reflection and comments on what I might change if I was giving the address in 2016.

Each Address included a “magic trick.” I am not a magician. My magic tricks required minimal digital dexterity—digital meaning fingers not computer savvy. I thought about videoing myself doing them, but I gave away the prop box, and now it’s missing. When possible,  I’ve included a link to a YouTube video of the trick. 

Each of the colors used for the bottles in this post represents the color of solution used in the magic trick in 1981.

If you are an MV grad in the year of one of these Baccalaureate Addresses, I hope it brings back a fond memory.

If you are not an MV grad in the year of one of these Baccalaureate Addresses, I hope it becomes a fond memory for you.

Read on, MacDuff!!

June 18, 1981

I man I know asked four members of a graduating class what academic position each was in.

The first replied, “I’m in the top 10%. I’m graduating cum laude—with honors.”

The second replied, “I’m in the top 5%. I’m graduating magna cum laude—with high honors.”

The third replied, “I’m in the top 2%. I’m graduating summa cum laude—with highest honors.”

The final student approached the man.

“What position are you graduating?” the man asked.

“I’m number 475 out of 476. I guess you could say that I’m graduating lawdy how cum?”

NOTE: All Scripture quoted is from the Good News Translation.

The title of my talk today is
Allspice and Crescent Wrenches.

Allspice. Doesn’t that sound like it’s good for anything? It’s one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean jerk seasoning, in moles, and in pickling; it is also an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders. That’s not even close to all kinds of cooking.

Crescent Wrench. By adjusting the width of the jaws, it is useful in a large number of situations from small nuts and bolts to a nut or bold as big as the jaws open.

There are various philosophies, theories, ideas, and concepts that all sound valuable and worthy of living for. However, some are like ALLSPICE, the only sound good. Others are the CRESCENT WRENCHES of life. They work in any situation.

Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant. If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death;  Galatians 6:7-8a

The field of “natural desires” is filled with ALLSPICE. Let’s look at some examples.

 Some people live for HAPPINESS. This usually gets confused with pleasure.

I decided to enjoy myself and find out what happiness is. But I found that this is useless, too. I discovered that laughter is foolish, that pleasure does you no good. Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth… Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward. Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind - of no use at all. Ecclesiastes 2:1-3, 10-11

Not very rosy picture.

Some people live for SUCCESS.

Then Jesus told them this parable: "There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. He began to think to himself, "I don't have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? This is what I will do,' he told himself; "I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!' But God said to him, "You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?' " 
Luke 12: 16-20

What good was all the man’s success?

“I know, I know,” you say. “It’s MONEY. You could live for MONEY!”

The problem with money . . . it’s hard to every get enough. If you live for money, you always need/want more.

Confidence placed in riches comes to nothing. Proverbs 11:7b

Remember the SUCCESS story? It contains this admonition that’s not included in the parable from Luke that’s printed above.

And Jesus concluded, "This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight." (Luke 12:21)

When a reporter asked John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world at that time, “How much money is enough?” He responded, “Just a little bit more.”

Living for SUCCESS and/or MONEY comes to the same end.

You might live for FAME. 

Let me ask you two questions. [No Googling!] 

1) Who ran for Governor against Governor George Deukmejian? 
2) Who was Harold of Hastings? 

Both were famous . . . for a while. 

Answers: 1) Tom Bradley, then Mayor of Los Angeles.  2) Loser to William of Orange in the Battle of Hastings.

 FAME does not satisfy indefinitely.

Ah, POPULARITY.

Jesus went on to say, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger one said to him, "Father, give me my share of the property now.' So the man divided his property between his two sons.

After a few days, the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing.

So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. Luke 12:11-16

The story above is known as “The Prodigal Son.” The son was wildly popular for a while. However, it soon became evident that his popularity was based on “things,” not the son himself. In Jesus day, caring for pigs was about the worst job a Jew could imagine. The “popular kid” was stripped of his dignity and ended up a pariah. Well, not really, read verses 17-20; that’s where this part of the parable ends.

The lesson here is that POPULARITY is fickle.

Well then, what about WISDOM? Surely WISDOM is a worthy life goal.

Solomon was the third king of the nation of Israel. He is considered one of the wisest men of all time. When he was anointed as king, he asked God for WISDOM everything else he could have asked for.

“So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9

Ultimately, WISDOM became its own end.

I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”

Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes 1:16-18

WISDOM sounds like a wise choice, but it does not satisfy.

What are we left with?

How about LOVE? The Beatles sang, “All you need is LOVE.” LOVE must be the answer.

There are three distinct types of LOVE in the Bible. You hear about two of them daily in popular songs—think Beatles. English does not distinguish between the different types. That’s unfortunate.

First. EROS or EROTIC LOVE. Lust is a synonym. This type of LOVE is sexual. Relationships built on EROS last only as long as the physical attraction.

Second. PHILIA or BROTHERLY LOVE is associated with the idea of deep friendship. Philanthropic organizations are based on this concept. 

PHILIA LOVE is, perhaps, the best of all ALLSPICE. However, even PHILIA LOVE is unfulfilling if not reciprocated. It can lead to a feeling of pity for those being given this type of LOVE.

When you harvest from the field of natural desires, all you get is ALLSPICE.

Well, this is a bummer. Thanks for sharing.

Don’t give up yet. 

I purposefully ended the Scripture quote at the beginning in the middle of verse 8. Let’s go back to the Letter to the Galatians and finish Paul’s thought.

If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death; if you plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit you will gather the harvest of eternal life. Galatians 6:8

It’s in the “field of the Spirit” that we find CRESCENT WRENCHES.

But, that’s for next blog.

 Oooooh! A cliffhanger!

Next week: ALLSPICE and CRESCENT WRENCHES - Conclusion

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