Firsts

Whenever anyone asks me what my most embarrassing moment in life was, it immediately takes me back to first grade. My folks were missionaries, and we were living in South Africa at the time. I did not go to kindergarten, so this was the first exposure to school that I had had of any kind. I do not remember what the circumstances surrounding the incident were, but I can remember sitting in my small wooden elementary chair and wetting myself. When I stood up there was a puddle on the chair and floor, and I was mortified. That part I do remember very clearly! Possibly I was a little too late remembering I needed to go to the bathroom; nevertheless, that was my introduction and initiation into the school world. I do not know what happened thereafter, but this traumatic moment has stuck with me for over five decades.

Another embarrassing moment also involves elementary school incidentally. We were back in the United States at the time I was to enroll in third grade. Now with two years of school under my belt, I should have been a pro. Right? Well, everything, I mean everything, is different from one country to another. One of my sisters and I were going to stay at Tupelo, Mississippi at the Tupelo Children’s Mansion so we could attend school while my folks traveled to raise funds to return to the mission field. One of the differences in the schools was that in South Africa we had always taken a sack lunch or lunch box to school, whereas in the States, they had a cafeteria and ate lunch at the school. Another thing I did not know, which I found out on my first day there, was that the lunch would have to be paid for, which was usually done in advance, and you would then have a ticket to present to the cafeteria lady. No, I did not have a ticket or a sack lunch, so I began to panic, and walked out of the cafeteria in tears. I was distraught to say the least. All I remember is that Bro. Chelette, the president of TCM showed up on that sidewalk, hugged me, rescued me, and took me in to the cafeteria and paid for my lunch. From then on, there was no problem with the lunch tickets, because the Mansion paid for them; however, on that first day, someone had dropped the ball, forgotten that I was on the list, or something to that effect. But all is well that ends well, they say.

Anxiety and apprehension will usually accompany us on our ‘firsts’ more than any other time. It is the fear of the unknown. Panic can set in when we do not know what to expect or what is expected of us. You have heard it said, “There’s a first time for everything.” When this expression is used, someone is usually trying to comfort or assure us because of something that has just happened, or because of what we are about to be exposed to. It is an accurate statement that somehow holds true ninety-nine percent of the time. Young teenagers who are going out on their first date can be very anxious, whereas the parents are saying, “It’s no big deal, it’s just a date.” There are many occasions where the anticipation or dread of something is far worse than the actual event as well.

Teenagers are very excited yet worried about being able to drive for the first time and get their permit, but in this instance, the parents share their anxiety, because though the parents are great drivers, and it is old hat to them, now their ‘babies’ will be behind the wheel. There is a lot of nail biting that goes on for a few weeks or months over this ‘first’, that they must traverse together. Things become real, very quickly! The parent, armed with the knowledge that the rate at which wrecks increase when teens begin to drive is astronomical, which also signifies higher insurance rates, and this will now escalate the amount of times their teen will ask to go out, are mulling all of these facts over in their minds as their teen pulls out into the traffic for the first time. No matter the initial fear, we normally survive this first.

There may be activities that are considered entertainment or fun, which can also be very daunting if you have never done them before. For example, skydiving. I for one think this would be terrifying. I have heard other people say the same, then decide to do it and have a vastly different story once they have done it. The testimonials change to it was wonderful, exhilarating, freeing, and I loved it, it was not scary at all, where as before they were breaking out in a cold sweat just thinking about it.

Moving to a new state or city can be overwhelming if it is your first time. You must sell everything and start over. You must find a new house, schools, church, friends and jobs. The culture of the people will be different, and they may not have the same fast food restaurants or grocery stores you are used to. Though this may not be taxing on someone physically, especially if they are young and ambitious, it can take a toll emotionally, if they allow themselves to get caught up in the game of “what ifs”. What if I cannot find a house, job, or church? What if the kids hate it here and cannot find friends? You know the drill! We can talk ourselves into or out of, just about anything we set our mind to, especially if we have never been down that road before. If this is something you may have to face in the future, remember the accounts in the history books about the ‘Wild, Wild, West.’ They crossed difficult terrain on foot or with only a horse and carriage, yet they persevered. Though some never reached their goal, others did, and we are now the benefactors of their willingness to say yes to ‘firsts’. How might your life affect another if you just take a leap of faith in the circumstances you face? 

So, we can see from some of the examples given, that ‘firsts’ can be exciting, yet they do not come about without challenging work. Let us look at people who have invented things for instance. Though many inventions are built upon another like building blocks, they are still ‘firsts’ for the inventor. Can you imagine the excitement on Thomas Edison’s face in 1880 when he saw that light bulb burning for over thirteen hours! Yes, there were those who discovered the usefulness of electricity and how to harness it, before him, but he had his ‘first’ moment, which is accredited to him in history books. It is said that he worked on the light bulb over eighteen months before having success, but his elbow grease, blood, sweat, tears, and ingenuity revolutionized the way we live. ‘Firsts’ do not just fall into our laps, but they are so often worth taking the leap of faith and working for.

In 1769, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot of France built the first automobile powered by a ‘steam’ engine. Can you imagine the excitement? However, one person’s first does not deter others from trying to produce their own firsts. Karl Benz, a German came up with the first ‘gasoline’ powered engine in 1885, called the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which was the first car to be put into production. We see in 1896, in Detroit, Michigan, a 32 year old Henry Ford producing his first car, called a Quadricycle, which took him over two years to build in a shed behind his home. He had help from his coworkers, and they referred to it as the horseless carriage. The inventions of the automobile, no matter who the inventor, changed the lives of people from that time forward. It was revolutionary for private and public transportation and commerce in general.

For those who are sports lovers, we can see a lot of ‘firsts’ recorded continually in that world. Statistics are a part of every event and if you break a record of speed or longevity, if you come up with a new move, trick or configuration in any given sport, you are put done in history as being the ‘first’ to have accomplished such a feat! No sport is exempt from this, because they are keeping score, and keeping tabs on who, when, where, and the whys of what is going on in every game, beginning with the Little League. We live in a world that is fiercely competitive with everyone wanting to get the ‘one up’ on everyone else. We are made in the image of our Creator, and as such we have an innate desire to be creative, and we all want to be the best at what we do. There is nothing wrong with this, if we include the Creator in the mix and give Him the glory He deserves. Someone has paved the way and done everything first or will in the future, and will receive the recognition for it, and rightfully so. It could be you or someone you know!

Yes, firsts can be daunting and overwhelming, but some will happen to us continually along life’s journey from the womb to the grave, without us making cognitive choices to do them. We go to school for the first time, and graduate for the first time twelve years later. This is an exciting time, and we feel so grown up; however, not long after we have our first job, our first bills, our first house payments, our parents will get texts and phone calls, saying how we hate ‘adulting’. Life and time do not stop for any of us. From birth until death, life is replete with firsts. We learn how to walk and talk and eat and use the potty, and eighty years later we may begin to forget that we ever knew how to do all of them. This makes it so vital to enjoy all the firsts in our lives. Like grandkids or when we grow our first flower or tomato plant, or whatever ‘firsts’ look like in your life. We should approach life as a child and be excited for the ‘firsts’, like when they first begin to color, write, learn their ABC’s, or learn how to count. The world is adventurous and new to them. We must not be afraid to try new things and have that adventurous spirit about us, no matter our age. Life is not only about getting to a destination, but it is about enjoying the journey.

 Looking into the scriptures, we can see so many firsts that happened in the Old and the New Testaments. Of course, this starts in the Old Testament in Genesis 1:1 which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Beginning denotes that there had not been one before, meaning that this was a first. How exciting!  In the New Testament, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and all the disciples were faced with many new things the moment Jesus stepped out of his carpenter shop and began his ministry. He told them in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” What a new, mind boggling concept. They had been fishermen all their lives, but not of men. They were not children, but adult men with careers, homes, and families. Jesus told them in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  Jesus grew up in Nazareth about thirty-five miles from Bethsaida where Peter and some of the other disciples lived; however, shortly before he began his earthly ministry, with the miracle at the wedding in Cana, he moved to Capernaum. This was about six miles away, and on the Sea of Galilee where they all worked. Jesus was no stranger to traveling, because he was baptized near Bethany, which was eighty miles from Cana. People had become acquainted with him over his first thirty years, but they were astonished by his message that they had never heard before.

Peter, James, John and all of those who followed Jesus found themselves at a point of decision. Everything they had known in their lives was about to change. Jesus was an expert at taking what was already present and correlating it with something greater that could be. He acknowledged that they were fisherman but tried to teach them that being fishers of men was a higher and nobler calling. Jesus meets us where we are, and introduces ‘firsts’ to us, without negating the path we have already trodden. Jesus shows us that a new path walking with Him is better, even though it may be a ‘first’ for us, is doable, is possible, and it is necessary.

The account in John 21:1-9 made believers out of the disciples once and for all, this was after his resurrection. They had gone back to fishing because they did not know what to do. “After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I am going fishing. They say to him, we also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, it is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girted his fisher’s coat unto him (because he was naked) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon as they came to land, they saw a fire of coal there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.” An amazing account.

You have heard the expression, “First impressions are lasting impressions; therefore, make it count!” You cannot make a first impression twice. You only get one shot at it. The disciples had followed Jesus when he first asked them to, and they thought they could go back to their old careers when he died, and everything would be the same. It does not work that way. Once you know something, you cannot unknow it. Once you have seen something, you cannot unsee it. Once you have done something in a better way, the old will never be the same. They began to realize this through the patient teaching of Jesus after his resurrection and their faith was restored. They then began to experience many exhilarating firsts in their lives after his ascension into heaven.

They were the first to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, which Jesus had promised. They were the first to be baptized in Jesus’ name and have their sins washed away. They became travelers as Jesus was and began to preach and teach His message of forgiveness throughout the then known world. Peter preached first to the Jews in Jerusalem in Acts 2, first to the Samaritans in Samaria in Acts 8, and first to the Gentiles, Cornelius’ family at Caesarea in Acts 10, and unlocked the Gospel to them using the keys of the authority of the Spirit that had been given him by the Lord.

Paul then comes on the scene killing and persecuting the saints. He had his ‘first’ encounter, coming face to face with Jesus, on the road to Damascus where he was headed to put believers to death.  He began to preach the gospel in places that had never heard it before and became a church planter. Preaching in Colossians 1:14-15 he says, “Jesus, is the one in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” Because of his faith in Jesus and willingness to be bold in the Spirit, even though he encountered many firsts, He was later able to write to saints to which he had preached. He stated in a letter to the Romans in Romans16:5, “Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ.” There will always be ‘firsts’ who pave the way for those coming behind them. It could be you!

So often, the only thing holding us back is fear. Fear is just a manifestation of doubt. Some people may have dreams and visions of being a songwriter, an author, climbing up the ladder professionally, an artist, a parent, a doctor, or nurse, you name it, the list is endless. Yet even though they have a passion, they worry about what others will think, or how embarrassing it will be if they fall on their face and flop. They do not feel they could cope with the ridicule or shame of failure. However, if we do not try, we will never succeed, that is an absolute. Playing the ‘what If’s’ game on the other side of the coin, let us ask ourselves. What if I go for that first, and I do succeed? What if I become the manager of my department at work? What if I do write a song and get it published? How exciting that would be!

We must replace our doubt with faith, knowing that the Lord has promised to be with us always. Jesus was mocked, yet he knew that he had to do what he had come to earth to do. Did he wrestle within himself, yes, more than once, but he realized that the ‘first’ he had to do was not just for himself, but for the entire world. Matthew 26:42 says, “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”  Paul later wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:20, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” Because he died, was buried, and rose again first, we can now also have that same experience spiritually and rise from the dead physically as well, on the day that He comes to take us home. He did it first! He paved the way for us.

The New Testament church was the first of its kind. They made an impact on all the then known world, and the book of Acts has not had a final closing Amen yet. We are still propagating the gospel today as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 11:25-26 tells us, “Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught many people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Our world, our cities, our counties, need a change today, but it must first begin in our own hearts. Peter preached in 1 Peter 4:17, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”  It is our responsibility to pave the way.

It is time for us to be bold and confident in our God. This will be noticed by everyone around us, and will make an impact on your family, home, church, co-workers, and all who encounter you. Paul stated in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Step out by faith today and do those ‘firsts’ that you have been wanting to do, by the power and authority of the Spirit of God that lives within you. You will be surprised by how exhilarating and fulfilling they will be!