There are a lot of words that people find offensive. Sometimes because they are vulgar. Sometimes because they are intended to be offensive. But sometimes it is simply because we don’t like the word or what it represents. I find myself wanting to yell about one word I’m hearing a lot the last few days. But wait! I have a blog with which to vent my outrage!
So, here goes. It isn’t a four letter word. It has five. B-O-R-E-D. “Bored” Henceforth to be known as “the B word”.
You see, I just don’t get it. I honestly haven’t been bored since I was 16 years old. I’ve been tired. I’ve been scared. I’ve been outraged. I’ve been embarrassed. I’ve been overjoyed. I’ve been sad. I’ve been amazed. I’ve been underwhelmed and overwhelmed and just about everything else you can think of. I’ve had more to do and more to experience than anyone could possibly crowd into a lifetime. But bored? How? How can anyone be bored? I just don’t get it.
Maybe the reason I get upset about the word is that it is inherently a lie. Listen to the voice: I am bored. As though someone, something, some set of circumstances has bored us (boring things of course!). So, it isn’t me. It isn’t my fault. It isn’t any choice or attitude I have that brings me to this horrible fate. It’s something else…something…boring.
That’s the lie. If I am bored it is because I have chosen to be. At any given time I can dream, read, work out, write, make something, think something or search out adventures. Though frankly, I’ve not had the problem of making such a decision for nearly 40 years. The reason is simple. I serve the Lord. I have said “yes” to the Lord when he tells me to serve others in his name. And that has opened more doors than I ever could have imagined.
The Lord has given me amazing experiences. I’ve been part of people’s lives at every conceivable stage, transition or event. I’ve helped people struggling to make it through life. I’ve held people as they died. I’ve prayed with people that God would take someone to allow them to come to him and I’ve prayed with people to keep them alive. I’ve worked with famous people and people no one knows. I’ve worked with babies and people in their nineties (no 100s yet!). I’ve seen my own kids grow and have their kids; and I’ve watched my grandkids gaze at me in their first hours of life. I’ve talked to people with guns to their heads and searched for bombs (still don’t know what one looks like). I’ve succeeded and I’ve failed miserably.
But I haven’t been bored.
Please don’t tell me you’re bored. Talk to the Lord. Tell him you’re ready for life. Live. Experience. Grow. Know Jesus and Be Faithful!
And don’t use “the B word”.
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