If any of you know me well, you know that I have a brown thumb when it comes to growing things – or maybe a black thumb is a better description. Gardening is not my forte – we’d never have fresh vegetables, if it wasn’t for Steve, who evidently got his mother, Mary’s talent for making things grow. When we were newlyweds, Steve came to me one day and asked, “Why is there a dead plant in the closet?” I kinda hung my head as I tried to explain, “Well, it was dying and I couldn’t stand to watch!” There was no need for CPR – it was already DEAD! I had done all I could!
I find it interesting to think about how people strive to give CPR to dying situations. Sometimes, they don’t want to let go because “it’s a family tradition.” “We’ve always done it this way on this date!” Perhaps, they refuse to see that the “issue” is actually no longer an issue – namely “Elvis has left the building.” It too late, but they refuse to give up. They keep giving CPR to dead situations!
I remember years ago when Brother E.L. Whitaker said, “It was easier to resurrect a “dead” church than to revive a “dying” one.” Think about that. A “dead church” knows that they’re dead. They are ready to start anew, while a “dying” one often doesn’t realize or perhaps refuses to acknowledge that they’re in the situation that they’re in. I believe that the same concept works with businesses. As the pandemic continues, many businesses are finding that staying open is proving difficult. My heart breaks for them, but I pray that in time, they will be able to start anew with fresh ideas and hit the ground running.
There are instances when we must realize that it’s time for new beginnings. Thank goodness, God allows “U-Turns.” Sometimes, I believe that He puts us on our backs, so that we will have to look up! Oh, how we are simply blessed, Courtney