HUMPH!

 

Back in my High School days....you know, back when Christ was a corporal, or when people still thought the earth was flat----a few years ago, I took a course called 'Public Speaking'.  During the course, the school held an event one night where all the students had an opportunity to show to all the parents in the community, how well they had learned the skills of standing up in front of an audience and making some sort of speech.  As a 15 year old, let me tell you, THAT is not an easy task.  For me anyway.  Even today, I still have certain fears when standing in front of large groups and making presentations---even though I have done this now for years, including making presentations to four-star general officers, political officers from Washington, and even groups as large as 1000 people.  But, that fear is not what I want to talk about this morning.  No, what I want to teach about comes from the speech I gave SO many years ago during that public speaking event at Danville High School. 

 

I stood up in front of that crowd and recited, from memory, one of the works of Rudyard Kipling, called "How the Camel Got His Hump".  You can find this entire story/poem on the internet---pretty good reading.  Anyway, it starts like this:

 

In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work; and besides, he was a Howler himself. So he ate sticks and thorns and tamarisks and milkweed and prickles, most 'scruciating idle; and when anybody spoke to him he said 'Humph!' Just 'Humph!' and no more.

 

The story goes on by 'explaining' how the Camels of today grew their humps (whimsically, of course).....it was because this certain flat-backed animal in this story kept saying 'Humph' whenever any one of the other animals confronted him about him not working.  Eventually, the Djinn, a dude who was in charge of all deserts----kinda like the 'desert god', spoke to him and because of that camel's constant reply, produced in him, the hump which we all see on camels today.  He got this hump so he could go for three days in the desert without having to do ANY work, including the simple task of drinking water.  As you can see, this was a whimsical story, but has, to me, some real deep meaning lessons for us as Christians today.

 

Imagine Djinn as God.  OUR God.  And imagine yourself as a humpless camel, or better yet, a lazy person.  Marry the two together someday and see what can come of it.  Are you like this lazy camel?  Do you spend your evangelistic time God has given you by not doing anything but sitting around and saying 'Humph!, that is someone else's job'?  Do you reply with a 'Humph!' when asked to volunteer for teaching rotation, ushering, or other 'jobs' needed in the church?  Do you even say "Humph' each day instead of praying to our Lord?  How about your quiet times?  Are you one who thinks it is too much work to get up an hour earlier in the morning and sit down with the Bible, a paper and pen (or a computer as I obviously prefer) and do the work of a good bible lesson?  Do you just say 'Humph!' and stay in bed while the snooze alarm goes off for the fourth or fifth time?  Do you think Djinn, I mean, God, is watching?  Of course he is.  Do you think He might not appreciate seeing His work just lying around and doing NO work except uttering a single 'Humph!'?  Yeah, I think He might be a little concerned.

 

Rudyard Kipling wrote several stories oriented toward children, but all seem to have hidden messages in them, particularly for adults.  This story, How the Camel God His Hump, was no different.  I would like each of you to go to the internet, or the library, and read this entire story.  And when you do, pay close attention to the moral of it.  I think it may hit home pretty hard to some of us.  We who shrug our shoulders when asked to do ANY work for God.  "Humph!, let someone else do that, I am too busy."  If you are convicted, then great....YOU know what now to do.  If not, call a friend and talk to him or her about it.

 

Even today, as you go about your normal activities, see if you catch yourself in laziness, in indifference, in saying 'Humph!'. You may even be saying that right now about this lesson.  "Humph!, how dare he say I am lazy. Who does he think he is, anyway?"  I think I am one who knows myself fairly well.  I catch MYSELF saying 'Humph!' all the time.  I reread that Kipling story, and was convicted myself.  I don't want my Djinn to punish me because of my laziness, therefore I am going to try to do more for Him.  I don't need anymore weight on my back, so I am going to see if I can go a whole week and not reply to anyone with a 'Humph!' when asked to do something for God.  And you?

 

I hope all have a great day, and go through it 'Humphless".

 

Mac