Jim Yackel
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1/1/2008 6:39:53 AM
Musical Manure Fork
As I have said before, if I were making music in order to garner money and fame, I wouldn't be be making Christian praise and evangelical music. Secular songs about sex, money, cars, and social status would better stack the odds in one's favor if they were seeking musical and cultural stardom.
In a recent conversation I had with Pastor Warren Pfohl of Eastern Hills Bible Church in Manlius, N.Y., he reminded me that God sometimes uses us as "manure forks." No, God may not always use us in outwardly glorious ways that make others take notice and say things such as "wow, that Jim Yackel is a real man of God! Did you hear what he did for so and so?" Very often, God forces us to get our spiritual hands dirty by getting down into the manure so to speak, achieving fulfillment of His will. These are the types of actions that people may not notice and won't earn you a praise chorus of "atta boys"--but will nonetheless serve the purposes of our Lord in the growth and nurturing of His kingdom.
You may find yourself involved in a lengthy telephone conversation with a friend or perhaps even a stranger who is depressed, broken hearted, or has taken some other sort of spiritual or emotional shrapnel that requires you to be God's instrument of compassion and healing. That telephone call may come completely out of the blue and will probably catch you at a less than opportune time. Perhaps you were watching an NFL game replete with the high drama of playoff spots in the balance, or you were staring at an Excel worksheet with figures that just didn't balance. Either way, this is not a good time to be locked into a telephone call, and yet in your heart you are moved to put those other things aside to help this friend, brother, or stranger in need. There is no glory in this action. The result of this particular time investment won't be to see your photo on the front of the weekly church bulletin. No, the Lord may be using you as a manure fork. If you were to ask any farmer, he would probably extol the virtue of his own manure fork.
It was in October or November of 2007, I unfortunately don't recall which month. The memory may be full in the C-Drive of my mind and a memory upgrade is needed. At any rate, I received a phone call similar to that described in the previous paragraph. It was a gentleman from Texas who is very sick with cancer. He had visited my music page, read the text and listened to some of the mp3 samples. This man was not exactly a stranger to me and yet not someone who is part of my regular circle of relationships and dealings. He stated in the phone conversation that he was scared as death may be a reality for him within the foreseeable future, due to the cancer. He was hoping that I could give him some assurance and help to assuage his fears.
I asked this gentleman if He believed that Jesus Christ was Lord of all and savior of the world. He said "yes", that was his belief. I asked if he believed that Jesus was the only way to the Father, and he said yes. Not being a physician, and having never played one on television, I spoke from the heart and told this man that if these were truly his beliefs then he had nothing to fear. When it is time for him to go, he will pass from a world of sickness and pain into a Heaven of indescribable beauty--a place of no tears, no stress, no worry, and no underconfidance. His cancer-stricken body will be an afterthought. He will be with the Lord Jesus and will worship Him as never before.
I prayed with this man and also spoke with his wife before hanging up the phone. The man told me that he felt much better about his situation after speaking with me. I was heartened to hear that, but it was nothing that I did on my own. God used me as a tool--a "manure fork" for want of a better term. No glory for me. All praise and glory goes to the One, True, Living, Triune God.
If my words and music serve a purpose like comforting a sick man, then that is far better than fame and fortun
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