Jimmy and the Monkey

Full disclosure: 

**Names have been changed to protect the innocent! **

In all of our travels, we met up with a lot of people.  People from different backgrounds, both in the way they lived and in the churches they went to.  In all of the people I met, one of my favorites will always be Jimmy.

Jimmy was hilarious.  He would laugh at things the way I do - at the wrong time and usually in the wrong place.  We were the best of friends. We got in a lot of trouble together. 

I wish everyone had a Jimmy to be friends with! 

SO MY CHURCH (BRAT) STORY begins:

In the church circuit, my parents were in, there was every kind of religion represented from Catholics to the Jesus-only snake handlers.  

Now let me clarify - my parents NEVER handled snakes! 

But, we had wonderful friends that were snake handlers that would come to the services (without the snakes). You could usually pick them out because their hairdos were tight buns on the back of their head and they often wore "uniforms."  

There was this one particular group where all the ladies would wear white shirts with a collar and a black ribbon tied around the neck in a tie fashion and long black skirts. Their buns were always so tight, that it looked painful to me!  And if there were any men, they wore white shirts with collars with a black tie and black pants. 

Got that image in your head?  Good!

Jimmy just so happened to be running with a large crowd that wore what I called the "uniforms."  They rarely smiled and they were not amused at much.  Unlike Jimmy! I knew there would be a great story to come out of his association with this group.  He didn't let me down! This is a great story! 

One night, he came to the service with his uniform on and sat with the group, and tried his best to behave. Well, Jimmy could not behave for very long!  I knew that - he knew that - and anyone who knew him knew that! It was just a matter of time!

A little time passed and sure enough one service he came in with them and he was without his uniform!  Uh oh!

Now the real story begins.

Jimmy had been "caught sinning" and had to turn in his uniform until he could do better.  Now "sinning" could be something trivial like whistling - seriously it could have been whistling! 

So, the leader took his uniform and put him in a room to fast and pray until he repented and was sorry for whatever "sin" he had committed.  

He was put in a room for about 3 days (if I remember correctly). But he wasn't alone - the leader of the group, also owned the house they all live in, and strangely enough she had a pet monkey.  Jimmy was put in the monkey's room to be alone to fast and pray. 

So, there was Jimmy and the monkey, in a room together, for 3 days.  

During those days, they would bring the monkey breakfast and dinner.  He would get bananas, peanuts, and fruits. Jimmy, however,  didn't get anything but water. 

The longer he thought about it the madder he got that the monkey got fed but he had to be on a "water fast."  He decided to do something about it.  So, for 3 days Jimmy ate the monkey's food!  

At the end of his "fasting and prayer" time, he came out well-fed and happy.  The monkey however was not so lucky.  The monkey was weak and lethargic.  Jimmy suggested they all gather around him and pray for the strength of the Lord to come to the monkey! So they did!  Jimmy got the monkey something to eat and low and behold the little thing perked right up!

Who says miracles don't happen when you fast and pray!  The monkey lives! 

WHAT'S ON MY MIND?  GLAD YOU ASKED!

That story is funny yet sad at the same time.  

We all want to feel like we belong somewhere, that we are valued.  We want to belong to a group or maybe to a family that values us.  Values our talents or gifts.  Those who value us by just spending time with us and we can have conversations with.  Not "worships the ground we walk" on but values our opinions and our input.  They listen and take into consideration what we have to contribute to the conversation or situation. Not just what we can do for them, but what we give to each other.

I say all the time that if we meet and we are friends and your life is not better, we shouldn't be friends. 

See, the thing is, every person is valuable to God.  He looks at everyone individually and values them. When we look at someone or interact with someone, we have to remember they are valuable to God, so they should be valuable to us.  Jesus is not abusive, Jesus brings things to our lives that give us value.  He makes us valuable! 

That is what Jimmy was looking for.  He thought he found it, but he didn't realize that the love he was getting was conditional. Conditional with him acting a certain way, dressing a certain way, or obeying a strict set of rules that were impossible to live by. I will tell you in the end, he left that group and was hurt by how he was treated.  I think ya'll can agree with me that "church hurt" is a hard hurt to get over. 

Let's take a second and talk about fasting and prayer.  It is Biblical.  

Fasting and prayer serve a purpose and it is not punishment. It is to bring us to a place of surrendering our flesh to God.  We can hear Him clearly.  Jesus told us to fast, but for a reason.

It can be for you as a person.  

  Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. 

 

   Acts 13:3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 

NOTE: Jesus said that when we fast (not if we fast): 

It can also be corporate fasting and prayer called by the elders for the church to fast and pray for a specific reason.

Joel 1:14 Declare a holy fast call a sacred assembly. 

Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.

 

 Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

But nowhere in scripture was it used as punishment. That is not what fasting and prayer are for! 

Listen, we all have to value each other. I don't care if someone has less education, has less money or material things than you do, or comes from the wrong side of town.  

If you are going to be in each other's lives, then value that friendship.  Value the relationship you are in.  

Stop fighting!  Stop the name-calling! Stop putting each other down! Stop the abuse whether it is physical or emotional.  (Men and women alike can be abusive).  

Remember when I talked about being toxic? If not check out my blog - Bubble Gum Story.

Be healthy, be happy, value each other!  

 PRAY THIS WITH ME TODAY (in your own words)

Jesus,

I know I am valuable!  You give me value!  You died for me so that I could have life.  

Jesus, make me acutely aware of how I am treating others.  How I value them, how I value the relationship I have with them.  Remind me that everyone is a unique creation that you have formed. We all have value.  

I want to love like You.  I want to see people like You do.  I want to treat others the way that You do.  Jesus, make me like you!

Amen