Just Like Flies on a Screen Porch Door!

Just Like Flies on a Screen Porch DoorDr. Vince Hefner, PastorFirst Baptist ChurchCherryville, North CarolinaHave you ever heard the old saying, “Just like flies on a screen porch door?” Before I explain the meaning, I want you to close your eyes and visualize a screen porch door in the summertime. Looks good doesn’t it? Now open your eyes and read on. One of the things you probably visualized is a cool breeze coming through the screen, and the sounds of nature that are in the backyard. Chances are you are drinking some lemonade and the condensation from the glass is running down your hand, unless of course you have a napkin surrounding the glass. What a great day! However, look closer and what do you see? A couple of ordinary run of the mill house flies. Some of the house flies are inside the screen porch with you and some of the flies are outside looking in. It seems that the flies that are inside the screen porch want to get outside and the flies that are outside are trying to get in to have a sip of your lemonade.Since we are all looking at the same mental picture, what is the lesson from this old saying? It has to do with discontentment. The first time I heard this statement was from another preacher. I was just starting in the ministry and was telling my troubles to an older, more experienced pastor. I’m sure I said something like, “I don’t want to pastor anymore; I want to do something else to serve God, because pastoring a church is just too hard.” Even though I had spent four years in college, and three years in seminary, I wanted to find an easy way to serve God. That’s when he said, “Just like flies on a screen porch door.” He went on to explain that at times those who are pastoring a church want out, and those who are not pastoring a church want in. I wasn’t sure I liked being compared to a house fly, but the old man made good sense. At times we all get discouraged at what we are doing in life, whether it is ministering in a church, working in the business world, or being in charge of your own company. In other words, something else can look better than what you have, even to a house fly!It is so easy, regardless of your age, profession, or location in life, to want to be someone younger or older, to want to have someone else’s job, or to be somewhere else on the planet. We believe that everyone is better off than we are, that any job is more fulfilling than ours, and that anyplace is more exciting than where we are now. Have you ever felt this way? I would say that most of us have felt these emotions at one time or another in our lives. However, what is the answer? Life would not be worth living if we stayed in a constant state of want or of discontent.The Apostle Paul answered this question in Philippians 4:11-13, “For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” When we keep our eyes on Jesus, it doesn’t make any difference what job we have, how old we are, or where we are living. It is through Him that we get our strength, purpose, and joy out of life. If you are experiencing the feeling of discontentment, and feel that life would be better somewhere else, make sure you are looking to Jesus for your guidance and peace. Without Him it will not make any difference if you have everything or nothing; with Him you have the most important person in your life, Jesus. I don’t want to be a fly on the wall watching how other people live, or a fly on a screen door wanting to be somewhere else. I want to live each day of my life with the peace of mind that Jesus Christ is in charge of every area of my life. What about you? Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!