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Served on a Silver Platter

Served on a Silver Platter

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Served on a Silver Platter--silver tea set on traySome people expect life served on a silver platter.

When they eat in fine restaurants, their food may be served on a silver platter (a large serving plate that symbolizes wealth). They eat high on the hog.

People who expect life served on a silver platter expect the best.

They don’t think they should ask for it. Instead, people should know and give them what they want. If they don’t receive what they want, they get upset.

Those people don’t want to work for it.

They think others should wait on them. They believe they deserve the best because of their:

  • Riches
  • Relationship with important people
  • History of being served

People with such expectations believe they are better than others.

They:

Not everyone who expects life served on a silver platter is rich.

However, most have usually had their way. As a result, they think they should continue to get what they want when they want it.

Not every rich person expects life served on a silver platter.

Many wealthy people:

  • Share their riches
  • Work hard
  • Treat others with respect

Whether rich or poor as a church mouse, people can count their blessings and share those blessings with others. Serving others makes life so much better than serving self.

“Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf” (Proverbs 11:28 NIV).

Thanks to Glenda Britton for the suggestion.

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Tall Tale

Tall Tale

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Tall Tale--whales divingA tall tale is a whale of a tale.

It is a big tale — a big story — much bigger than what really happened.

Because a tall tale is so big, it captures our attention. Most people don’t believe it but listen to it anyway. A few of us swallow a tall tale hook, line, and sinker. We believe the storyteller until people start laughing. Then we become part of the joke.

Comedians often tell tall tales. They base many of their stories on truth but add to them. They make their stories:

  • Bigger
  • Funnier
  • Crazier

We also share tall tales with relatives and friends. Some of us hold contests to see who can tell the tallest tale. We often tell such stories around campfires.

Tall tales grow bigger the more often we tell them.

I could tell you just the facts about a recent whale watching trip.

  • We saw between 10 and 20 whales.
  • The whales swam close to the boat.
  • Their tails and fins came out of the water as they dived to find food.

In a tall tale about those whales, I might tell you:

  • We saw at least 100 whales.
  • They swam so close to the boat we could rub their backs.
  • Those whales gave us high fives with their tails and fins.

Most tall tales offer a few moments of fun.

They become lies when told to hurt or deceive. Often when we lie, people know something’s fishy, and we end up in the doghouse.

Avoid tall tales that deceive. Enjoy tall tales told for fun.

“A good man is known by his truthfulness; a false man by deceit and lies” (Proverbs 12:17 TLB).

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Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps

Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps

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Pull Yourself Up by Your BootstrapsTo pull yourself up by your bootstraps (bootlaces) sounds impossible. With your boots on your feet, how can you lift yourself by the straps?

You can’t. Yet many people lift themselves from what appear to be impossible circumstances every day.

My parents and many of their generation:

  • Grew up poor
  • Had parents die young
  • Received little formal education

That sounds like the perfect formula for failure. Nevertheless, most of them live happy, productive lives. They pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and:

  • Did what they had to do to make a living
  • Loved and provided for their spouses and children
  • Returned to school as adults or became self-taught
  • Spent what they had, not what they hoped to earn

They never whined about their losses. Instead, they did their best each day and helped others do the same. No one picked them up and carried them. They did it themselves, as they said, “with the good Lord’s help.”

Life’s not always fair. They accepted that reality. They made the best of their circumstances.

I salute them, one and all.

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

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