My son, David, is a constant source of surprise to me. It seems that he can do any thing he sets his mind to -- building a house (including the concrete work, plumbing, electrical, and every thing else), rebuilding engines on vehicles, repairs on home appliances, data services and solutions for large companies in the U.S. and abroad - - you name it.
Perhaps I should have seen it coming. As a youngster he tore every thing apart to see how it worked. (It wasn't long until he could put everything back together in its proper place or even improvise where parts were broken). He reminds me much more of his two grandfathers than he does me. When ever anyone in our family runs into a problem the immediate response is, "Call David."
Recently, while working on a project together (he furnished the brains and skills while I handed him things), I remarked, "David, I will never understand how you have learned to do so many different things." His reply was, "I've just been willing to try. Most aren't." Is that the secret? Willingness?
For those who have intellectual difficulty with the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, our Lord provides an answer. "If any man's will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority" (John 7:17). The answer lies in the "will." Unwillingness to do God's will leaves one in a state of doubt. As my esteemed teacher, Frank Peck, wrote: "The real proof that Jesus' teaching is not of human origin but from God finally comes to any man whose will is to carry out consistently the will of God. In this he learns through his faithful obedience the divine nature of the Lord's teaching."
I read somewhere that there are three kinds of people in the world, the wills, the won'ts and the can'ts. The first accomplish everything; the second oppose everything; the third fail in everything.
- John Gipson