It was memorable! It was stupid! It was memorably stupid! It was extraordinarily memorably stupid!
It was one of the most inspirational illustrations ever performed before a live audience. It was a rare, unusual, remarkable event. As I said…truly extraordinary.
If you were there, you had never seen anything like it. I was there doing the illustration. I could not see anything.
Why? I blinded myself in an extraordinary display of stupidity.
KIDS! DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
DO NOT TRY THIS ANYWHERE OR AT ANYTIME!
The scene was a college football team retreat. I was the inspirational speaker. That in itself might seem somewhat comical. The intent was to spiritually challenge the players as they prepared for the new season ahead.
I wanted the lesson to greatly impact their lives, so I chose the story of the woman who poured her expensive perfume on Jesus. The eyewitnesses called her action “a waste.”
The main point of the story is that Jesus praised her actions, calling them “Extraordinary.” Personally, I was rocked by Jesus’ description of extraordinary: “She did what she could.”
SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD.
Consider that for a moment…and for a lifetime. Jesus defined “extraordinary” as doing what you can do. It was not some monumental feat. It was not some unbelievable action.
A WOMAN JUST DID WHAT SHE COULD DO WHEN SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
IN THIS CASE, SHE LOVED FIRST AND LOVED MOST.
EXTRAORDINARY!
The woman’s gift of love was an expensive jar of perfume that she broke and poured over Jesus’ head. The fragrant aroma quickly filled the room and got everyone’s attention and Jesus’ commendation.
I had an idea for a visual illustration of the story. I asked some stylish players for their favorite cologne. I bought a bottle, which was quite expensive. That was exactly what I needed: a bottle of costly, fragrant cologne.
At the start of my presentation, I gave the cologne bottle to a player in front and asked him to pour it into a small paper bowl. As he worked on my request, I told the team that some criticized the woman’s action as wasteful.
Then came the moment. I mentioned the well-known brand of cologne and its extravagant cost. I asked what they would think if I used it all at once?
Foolish? Funny? Wasteful? Or a life lesson?
My intention was to illustrate the vast difference between “Pretend” and “All-In.”
A player or team can pretend commitment to the goal through words or demonstrate the reality through visible actions. Talk about it or do it.
I leaned back and poured all the cologne on top of my head. The pleasant fragrance quickly filled the large room.
I wish you could have seen their shocked faces because I did not. I heard the gasps, but my stupidity blinded my eyes.
As I leaned my head forward, the cologne began streaming down my face. I underestimated the flow. There was little hair to soak up or hinder the downward rush.
Suddenly, the costly cologne flooded into both eyes. It hurt and felt as if my eyes were on fire.
My eyelids instinctively closed tightly, and I was unable to open my eyes at all. It felt as if they were glued shut.
(How would I ever know how “eyes glued shut” might feel? That experience began as an illustration to my wife of what a handyman can do. Pretend or All-in? It was a Super-Glue moment of stupidity.)
I could not see. I began a wild frantic search for the towel somewhere on the stage. I stumbled around with my arms outstretched, mostly grabbing air. I touched the stage curtains.
At first, the players thought this was part of the act. I looked like a mime pretending he was blind. But this was not intended as part of the show. This was Panic-ville at Blind Man’s Bluff!
My arms flailed. My feet stumbled. My eyes burned. Was it comedy or an emergency?
I grabbed the towel and dabbed my eyes. They would not open. The stinging intensified.
Then the thought hit me. I could go blind. I told the players I had done something really stupid and might have permanently injured my eyes.
I was Sightless in Seattle. The song, Blinded by the Light, rang in my ears as the cologne burned in my eyes.
I heard Bruce Springsteen singing, “I was blinded by the light, cut loose like a (dumb) deuce, another (idiot) runner in the night.”
Several players rushed to offer assistance. I asked them to let me finish the lesson first.
It was a great life-lesson.
With my eyes shut tight from the cologne flood, I spoke about something extraordinary. I called attention to the sweet aroma that filled the room. I pointed out how one meaningful action could create a scent of love that influences many people.
I challenged them to do something extraordinary with their football season and with their lives.
Pouring cologne over my head became a big problem. The burning and blinding feeling did not go away. Medical assistance could not ease the pain. We rinsed the eyes several times. We tried to flush them with a stronger stream of water.
I think I even asked someone who knew Jesus if he would just spit on them. All to no avail. I could not open my eyes.
I sat with a towel pushed against my eyes. I thought about the stupidity of my actions. I strained to open an eye. The eyelids would not budge. It was definitely a super-glue stuck feeling. The stinging intensity did not subside.
Would the blindness be permanent? That thought certainly crossed my mind.
Several players required medical treatment for trauma. Two still suffer from “olfactophobia,” an anxiety disorder caused by the fear of strong fragrances such as cologne.
At some point, my eyes began to see flickers of light. The recovery was slow and painful. Eventually, I would heal except from the embarrassing stupidity.
The optometrist said there was no lasting damage, but I might have occasional irritation. I pointed to my brother and said, “No, that has been a permanent condition that started when he deflated my new basketball with thumbtacks.”
The doctor laughed and said that at least my eyes smelled good.
The shirt I wore that night of cologne calamity was used many times afterward. Once, I wore it while mowing the lawn in the summer heat. It was washed at least seven times.
The polo shirt retained a sweet fragrance for over three years. When I talked about this Biblical story at another church, I brought the shirt to showcase its lasting scent.
I asked several people to smell the shirt and describe the odor. That is a risky request. I do not recommend asking that question when you go to church.
In this case, everyone mentioned that the shirt smelled good.
Extraordinary is just doing what you can do. Sadly, that is unusual on this earth. Why?
Most people do not do all they can do in this life to love first and love most. They withhold love from God and others. They prefer to be lovers of self in love with money and pleasures (#1 Textbook).
Love should never be half-hearted. Never mediocre. Never part-time. Never a second-thought.
What can you do?
Extraordinary is a small step between what you refuse to do and what you will do. Extraordinary is just doing what you can do.
The love of Christ is a sweet aroma. Extraordinary love has a lasting effect and can create an everlasting impact.
What can you do?
Jesus lives inside you to lead you to others He intends to love through you.
Will you Pretend or be All-in?
You can do something special today. Jesus will see it. God’s Word states that unselfish acts of love will be remembered in heaven forever.
In truth, heaven will be extraordinary. We will be fully equipped to love in the manner Jesus has loved us. First and Most. We will do what we can do to love other heavenly inhabitants engaged in the same purpose. Extraordinary!
What could you do if you were All-in?
This week is a wonderful opportunity to love God and love others first and most.
How? Just do what you can do. Give your selfishness away.
Live for a cause which is greater than yourself and lasts longer than your earthly life. That will be called extraordinary in heaven.
There are many needs in the world that we cannot meet. You and I cannot solve all the problems, feed everyone who is hungry, or end poverty, even in our own cities. We cannot fix every injustice.
THE LORD DOES NOT JUDGE US FOR WHAT WE CANNOT DO.
GOD ENCOURAGES US TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO SHARE LIFE’S MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF LOVE.
What can you do? You can take your love to a higher level. Show kindness, compassion, and encouragement. Write someone. Text. Call. Pray. Support. Give. Love. Do what you can do.
Just be you and do what you can do to love God and love others. Love never goes unnoticed by God.
DO WHAT YOU CAN DO. THAT WILL BE EXTRAORDINARY!
FYI: I HAVE THE BEST SMELLING EYES IN THE WORLD.
LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST 