Skip to main content

We Do Not Know Enough to Know

                 Noah McVicker’s company was almost bankrupt.  He sold a putty that was used to clean coal soot off wallpaper in people’s homes, but times had changed.  After World War II, most home heating systems were converted to cleaner-burning natural gas and that meant that McVicker’s market was gone and, soon, his company would be as well.
                In desperation, McVicker hired his nephew Joe to help him figure out what to do next.  Joe had a sister-in-law who worked at a daycare and one day she asked if she could take some of the company’s product to work with her.  She thought the kids might enjoy playing with the putty.  The kids loved it!  Within months, McVicker rebrand his wallpaper putty as a child’s toy that he called Play-Doh.
                Today, Play-Doh is one of the most successful children’s products ever.  It was named one of the “Toys of the Century” in 2003 and, since its launch, more than 3 billion cans have been sold.  Its popularity is so wide spread that most people even remember the smell of it.
                I love the fact that Noah McVicker had no idea what was coming.  He thought that his company was finished when, in fact, it was on the edge of the greatest success he had ever seen! 
                I do not know what you are going through today.  Things may look bleak.  You may be tempted to give in and give up.   If that is the case, may I remind you that there is more going on that what you see and know?   The Bible is full of stories of how God turned things around at the last moment. 
                If we believe that God is taking care of us, we can get through anything because anything can happen! 
                Who knows?  Your darkest night might just lead to your biggest blessing.
                “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

New Article: Grace Changes Everything

               A young man broke into a business and did $5000 damage. As part of his Restorative Justice sentence, he was required to meet with my friend Garth.   Garth believes in making apologies and restitution.   It took several months, but Garth finally convinced the young man that these were necessary steps, so he tried to arrange a meeting with the business owner.                The business owner wanted nothing to do with this situation.   He was angry and wanted a more severe form of justice.   Eventually, however, he agreed to meet the young man to hear what he had to say.                  The young man looked the business owner in the eye an...

New Article: We need a Better Scorecard

                   “Is that a Sun Ice?”                “Excuse me,” I said.                My friend pointed to my new ski jacket and asked again, “Is that a Sun Ice?”                It was 1991 and Sun Ice was the big name in ski wear at the time.   “No” I replied, “I can’t afford one of those”.                “Oh” he said as he lost interest and then just walked away.                I had not seen this friend in more than a year and, sadly, his first ...

New Article: Surprised by God

                 We would be shocked if we could hear the Bible for the first time again.   On every page, something unexpected happens.   The only reason we are not surprised is that the stories are so familiar to us.   Think about some of the unexpected interactions that God has had with his people.                For example, every culture has stories about a creator, but none imagined that God would become part of the creation.   That the creator would lower himself and become human is surprising, to say the least.                Not only did he become one of us, but he also came as a baby.   A tiny, helpless, baby!   If I wer...