There Are Many Ways To Skin A Rabbit

This may sound like an inappropriate title, but it was shared with me a few weeks ago, and I was given permission to it. I will not go into hunting, skinning, and cooking methods of rabbits. Yes. I’ve done it—many times in my younger days. Someone raises them for food and consumes them differently than the hunter of the field. When in London, we found they sold rabbits (ready to cook) in Harrod’s Department Store in London!

So. I’m not writing a gory tale, but the thought behind the words is what’s important.

There are many pathways to just about anything you want in life. Wealth. Relationship. Health. Knowledge. Wisdom. Get the picture? From where you are, and what’s available to you, and your timing, many rabbit trails lead to the culmination of what you aim for.

And, the way I may approach any of these pathways is different and unique to me and my timing, just as they are different and unique to you and every other person in the world. There is no single sure-fire way to make the destination attainable where all other paths are simply steps into the “failure abyss.”

John Maxwell talks about achieving a result by knowing where you are and taking appropriate steps to change into who you want to be.

1. When you change your thinking you change your beliefs.
2. When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations.
3. When you change your expectations, you change your attitude.
4. When you change your attitude, you change your behavior.
5. When you change your behavior, you change your performance.
6. When you change your performance, you change your life.

See?! Just six steps of separation from where you are to where you could be. The rabbit trails are endless on how you accomplish the steps, but the change you aim for. The amount of work is unique to who you are, where you are, and your motivation to change.

Does this work for everyone? It could. Does it work for everything? You would think so, but there are things you can achieve by walking a singular path that every one of us must walk.

Journey, Destination, Begining and Ending

The Bible is the only pathway to God. Even for those who cannot read, write, see, or hear – there is no other way to God but through the Words that are found in the Bible.

An old cartoon I found and have referenced often talks about wanting to hear from God. Then a hand from Heaven hands the Bible to the searcher.

It has been my experience that I hear God more from His Word than in any other way. That’s how I am built. That’s who I am.

Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote stories revolving around Lord Greystoke. We commonly know him as Tarzan. Through the story, we learn of his early life and how he taught himself to read, write and speak from primers left behind when his parents died. Almost magically, he learns to read and write, but he cannot say the words without any speech examples. Someone teaches him the connection between what he had learned and what the rest of us take for granted. Putting the pieces together came only from building on another’s work and understanding.

Think about it. Even if you cannot read, write, hear or speak, to learn about God, you must still be taught by someone who can and does follow the Bible story of redemption. It’s not what I “believe,” but what does God say? His Word speaks. We must listen.

Here’s My Thought

Many have taught, “all paths lead to God.” No more valid words were ever spoken. There are many ways to skin a rabbit. Aha… There’s the connection with the title!

There are many ways to skin a rabbit, but only a singular path leads to the destination we all seek. Heaven. Yet, we are misled when we think Heaven is the ultimate destination. Knowing God, obeying His Word, and teaching others is the ultimate pathway forward. Success! There’s only one pathway to God’s reward. If you want to be on that pathway, John Maxwell presents those previously referenced words to help us change our lives.

Do you want to know the way? I want to share it with you, not through my words, but God’s Word.

C.S. Lewis wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters.

First published in February 1942, the story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, a junior tempter. The uncle’s mentorship pertains to the nephew’s responsibility in securing the damnation of a British man known only as “the Patient.” ~Wikipedia

It’s the mentoring and teaching from a senior to a beginner. The first time I read this book was in a college class a dozen years ago. The style of writing and the subject got me to consider how teachers teach and students learn. My summation was that we are all teachers, and we are all learners. We never get to the end of our teaching, nor the end of our learning. It’s an ongoing process.

I am a student of the Word of God even when I have nothing to preach or teach. I’m always learning. What’s that old saying,

To teach is to learn twice.
~Joseph Joubert

If I’m not teaching, am I learning? To learn means, I’m helping myself. To teach means, I’m helping others.

Before I write, I study. Before I teach, I write. Thus, I’m studying for however I put my words out in the social and real-to-life space.

Beginning Thought

I am beginning a lesson series to know who God is and what our mission is in life. Knowing him comes from the revelation of the Word. Fulfilling our mission in life is teaching others. By doing so, I continue to learn. My focus is God’s Word and not mine. I will have insights, true, but I always base my sharing on what I get from God’s Word.

Jesus said to him,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.
“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;
and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
(John 14:6-7 NKJV)

If you are interested in working with me through this process, I encourage you to link to my blog and help me learn more. It is my duty never to abuse your trust. Would you connect with me? What I am focused on will lead to what I hope is my first published book. Join me?