Eeyore or Tigger?

Numbers 14:1-9

 

 

Who’s your favorite: Eeyore or Tigger?

 

Have you ever noticed that there are two kinds of people in the world? One sees everything as half empty and the other as half full. In Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore is a half empty kind of guy: “It’s not much of a tail but I’m sort of attached to it”. While Tigger is always bouncing around: “Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! I almost bounced clear outta the book!”

 

In today’s passage the Israelites are half empty as they respond in despair to the report concerning the Promised Land: “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?” Sort of sounds like Eeyore doesn’t it?

 

While Joshua and Caleb are half full kind of guys: “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.”  Do you feel like bouncing with Tigger?

 

How did the other ten spies explore the same land as Joshua and Caleb but came to the totally opposite conclusion? The answer is in the last statement in today’s passage. “The Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them”.

 

There are many examples in the Bible of people who believed and trusted that God would be with them in difficult, if not impossible situations. Moses ran away from Egypt and Gideon was hiding in a winepress when God promised each of them, “I will be with you”. The same promise is true for you and me.

 

Eeyore and Tigger are make believe characters from a fictional children’s book, but they have human traits. Traits that can be seen in people throughout the Bible. Traits that we can see in ourselves.

 

Are you more like Eeyore or Tigger? Or a better question to ask is this; do you see God at work in your life or do you only see the obstacles? Like the Israelites, do you ask God why, or like Joshua and Caleb do you ask God why not?

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers%2014%3A1-9&version=NIV;GNT

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Num.14.1-Num.14.9

 

Eeyore & Tigger

Psalm 148 - 150

　
　
We live in a world of positives and negatives. In chemistry you have protons and electrons. In golf you have over par and under par. In "Winnie the Pooh" you have Eeyore and Tigger. Eeyore with his sad and monotone voice always seems depressed. Tigger on the other hand, is always positive, bouncing around on his tail, smiling and very self-confident.
In math, my wife tells me, there is a teaching tool called a "number line". With zero at the center, there are increasing negative numbers to the left and increasing positive numbers to the right. Eeyore would fall at the far end of the negative side and Tigger on the positive. You probably know real people that are very positive and others that are very negative. Truth be known, we all fit somewhere on this line. In these Psalms we are not being called to be happy, but to praise the Lord for who He is and what He has done.

Psalm 148 emphasizes His creation. The beauty of God’s creation brings praise to our heart. For me, a sunset on Lake Michigan, the northern lights in the Upper Peninsula, the white sand beaches of Punta Cana, the power of Niagara Falls and the beauty of the Grand Tetons top my list. What’s on your list?

I’m not the most creative guy in the world. What I have created are mostly inanimate objects, except for my daughter. She turned 33 this year, and although she has a family of her own, I would still do anything for her. In Psalm 149 we see God who is our creator. He would do anything for us, and really He has. Therefore, let us "sing to the Lord a new song, rejoice in our Maker and be glad in our King and He will delight in His people".

And finally, think of the Buckeyes in the Shoe as you read Psalm 150. The only difference is the sanctuary is the Shoe, acts of power are the Buckeyes slamming into their opponents and the musical instruments are TBDBITL marching and proudly playing praises to the Buckeyes. Buckeye fans are passionate! How much more should we be when we serve and worship the Living God?

No matter where you think you fall on the number line, no matter whether you are more like Eeyore or Tigger - praise the Lord today in all you say and do.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20148-150&version=NIV;MSG
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Ps.148-Ps.150