Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud
by Max Lucado
When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven.
The character of a person is also checked by thumping.
Been thumped lately?
Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You’ve-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren’t big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I’m being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these two paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.
How do I respond? Do I sing, or do I thud?
Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There’s nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.
If you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart.
There is hope for us “thudders”:
Begin by thanking God for thumps. I don’t mean a half-hearted thank-you. I mean a rejoicing, jumping-for-joy thank-you from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are that God is doing the thumping. And he’s doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrews 12:5-8).
Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not “thump-proof.” You are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps—you can’t avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.
Be aware of “thump-slump” times. Know your pressure periods. For me, Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slumps. Fridays can be just as bad. For all of us, there are times during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. Bolster yourself with extra prayer, and don’t give up.
Remember no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.
Thank you for sharing this, it really spoke to me and encouraged me.
It also reminded me of something Amy Carmichael ? Mother Teresa? said, if you bump a cup of sweet tea, only sweet tea comes out…what we spill out is what we’re full of.
Thank you do much. I am going thru a lot right now and i need all the help from the LORD that he can give me so that I can get thru this. I thank the LORD every day for all that he has done for me but this is a real challengge but I know he is right here beside me helping me help myself.
thank for sharing this, it really spoke to me and encouraged me.
I really enjoy, God bless you.
Wow,,I realy never look at it this way,now i see,,,thank you for showing and openning my eyes to see things differently.
I tahank the Lord my God for blessing me with every Lil` thing in my life,I just want the Lord to give me strenght so i can get more closed to him everyday of my life.
God bless you too Max Lucado.
Thank you for reminding me to be grateful for the inconveniences and not become frustrated with what could really be an opportunity.
This was the still small voice that I needed after such a rough previous week. Thank you so very much for your obedience to God.
Thank-you for this. It’s so true! I have caught myself at times getting caught up in what some of my co-workers talk about, & have nearly spilled forth some not so nice things from my mouth! But, then I catch myself & bite my tongue. I know that Jesus would surely be ashamed if I was to get caught up in the moment while my co-workers are talking & I don’t want to disappoint Him. I remember that Jesus has told us in the Scriptures ” That No Guile Shall Come Forth From Our Mouths” & that’s the reminder I hear. So thank-you very much. I want my light for Jesus to shine bright & it can’t if I spill uglyness from my mouth. No-one would be able to Jesus in me if I spoke the way my fellow co-workers do at times. I thank-you for this reminder!!!!