It Started with the Pepto-Bismol!

I was in the security section of the Northwest Arkansas airport.  I was returning to Atlanta to spend the last two weeks of the year at home.   Since I was in a wheelchair (my knee was not cooperating again), the TSA agents assisted me with screening my carry-on bags.  They pulled me aside and said I had two problems in my bags.  One of the young TSA agents gained my permission and began looking through my things for the offending objects, two bottles of Pepto-Bismol.  One bottle was in my travel purse. The other was in my laptop bag.  My stomach issues mandate I carry it.  (Why can’t the Bismol people make it in 4oz bottles?)

The agent said he would test the bottles in a special machine to insure both bottles were safe and not pink weapons of mass destruction.  While the one agent was testing the bottles, another agent started lecturing me on the benefits of the tablet form of the Pepto.  I assured the TSA pharmacist that I also carried the tablets, but the liquid worked better for me in emergencies.  The agent doing the testing proceeds to tell me how much he loves Pepto-Bismol.  He said, “It looks great, smells great and tastes great.  Sometimes I want to drink it for fun.”  What?! He was honest, sincere and full of passion about Pepto-Bismol.  Both I and the airport rep pushing my chair started to giggle.  He continued to tell us about his love of Pepto, as he put the bottles back in their respective bags.  As he was closing up my laptop bag, he noticed my scarf I keep tied around the handle (in case I get cold on the plane).  He was able to remove it without a problem, yet faced with the prospect of retying the scarf, he panicked.  After a double and then triple take at the bag and scarf, he turned to me and loudly declared, “I don’t know how to tie a scarf.  I’m a man!”  The rep and I erupted in laughter.  I took the scarf and my bags and headed to my gate. 

I have reflected on that encounter several times.  Of course, I smile over his love of Pepto-Bismol, but his declaration of being a man is always my final thought.  By that declaration, he was saying there are some things that a man can and cannot do; and as a man, he knew he was out of his depth with that scarf.  It made me think about us as Believers.  What do you think you can do as a believer?  Whatever your thoughts, they define exactly what you do.  You see, you are exactly who you think you are.  If you think that you are a Christian filled with the Spirit of God and can witness, pray, lay hands on the sick and they recover, well that’s exactly what you will do because you believe it.  If on the other hand you believe that gifts ceased or are only for special people, you will never move in the power of God.  If you don’t know that you are the Church of Jesus Christ (and not the building you attend weekly),  you will not witness and minister to those outside of the building.  

You are who you think you are.  Yes, there are times that we have wrong beliefs about our abilities.  However, we don’t base our thoughts about our abilities on our own vain imaginations.  Our thoughts and beliefs flow from the Word of God and is nurtured by the Spirit of God.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).    The Word of God tells us exactly who we are and all that we can do as Believers.  If you think differently of yourself than what the Word of God says, you are off track.  Change your thinking and believe the Word.  The Word of God is not like some prescription medications.  These meds prescribed by professional mays or may not work to treat the problem and often they seem to have more side effects that actual effectiveness.  Pepto is good for me, but it does not solve my problem and sometimes doesn’t even soothe it.  The Word of God is certain.  It is established.  It is firm.  It does not change.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus said His word would never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

Trust what the Word of God says about you.  You are who YOU think you are and you can do exactly what the Word says you can do!  By the way, I think, believe and know I AM HEALED!