This One Thing

I love the scene in the movie City Slickers where Billy Crystal's character, Mitch, is alone with Curly, played by Jack Palance. Curly is giving Mitch some life advice:

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? (holds up one finger) This.

Mitch: Your finger?

Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean s***.

Mitch: But what is the "one thing?"

Curly: That's what you have to find out.

What's your one thing?

Your job, your family, your church...there could be a variety of responses. Perhaps there could even be a number of answers within yourself as to what that "one thing" could me. Our days are inundated with activity, responsibilities, places to go, people to see, with leisure to fit in somewhere. In the midst of the swirling sea that "one thing" becomes blurred into "just these things."

Our examination of Christianity seems to simplify the answer to the question...at least on the surface for Christ-followers. "My one thing is God." The answer seems honorable and is politically correct for a religious-minded practitioner. Yet even for the average church-attender, "this one thing" can become uncertain. Is my one thing serving in the church or is it my attendance? Is my focus Bible study and my small group or is it giving my money in the offering? Is my one thing participating in weekend worship or is it delivering bags of food to the needy?

"Just one thing" again confuses the issue and has become "just these things."

Our lives take up the mantel to support our philosophical rational to religion by twirling multiple spiritual plates daily. More often than not, plates fall off now and then with a loud crash. We feel the guilt of failing in the eyes of God and quickly try to place even more plates upon the sticks, frantically twirling with new spiritual activity to please God. Our "one thing" is spinning as many spiritual tasks as possible to please God.

Meanwhile God softly whispers and asks us a question: "Do you know what the secret of life is? The secret is just one thing...and that one thing is listening to my heartbeat. It's being with me and experiencing my love and total acceptance. It's quieting sitting in my lap and feeling my arms around you rocking you gently. It's knowing me as your Daddy."

His whisper is not even heard because of my frantic spiritual plate-spinning. Busyness is priority as spiritual points are calculated by my being faithful. Doing has replaced being. The busier the better...God will then love and accept me more. I have got only one life to accumulate enough points for God to smile on me and for others to honor me. My "To-do List" is never completed and my "To-want List" is always looming in my mind. Gotta add more...gotta stay busy...

His whisper is now background noise...a murmur...an insignificant voice among louder shouts that lure me like a siren. The shouts are all I hear.

"Just one thing" has seemed to disappear.

But as the voices dissipate, in loving patience God appears...waiting...for me to rediscover "just one thing."