Part 5: Becoming a Fred

(With kindest regards to Mark Sanborn for the 2004 inspiration from his book titled The Fred Factor)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

If you have made it through till day 5, you may be asking yourself, what’s the big deal about Fred? Well, go back now and put the word Jesus everywhere you saw the word Fred. I hope it was as mind blowing for you as it was me. Fred is such an ordinary name. I even tried to think of people who I actually knew, who were named Fred. Fred Fowler was a family friend and business owner. He could tell a story and keep you laughing for hours. The name Fred Astaire brought images of Lawrence Welk and all of the elegant dancing that he did. Yeah, all of you over 50 smiled at that one! And, who can forget Fred Flintstone rumbling us all the way back to the stone age with his best friend Barney. I know that Fred isn’t real, but you still smiled and thought back to your childhood.

This day and age, we have become so wrapped up in our own lives, our own pleasures, that we forget about those around us who may be hurting, stressed, or dealing with a personal tribulation. God never promises great days filled with joy and happiness all the time. We will all have trials and tribulations. The difference is how we tend them. Do we sulk, whine, have a pity party? Or do we “suck it up buttercup, pray, and go on about our day?” It’s all about our heart condition and our attitude. There are people with personalities who do not want intrusions from the outside. We know who many of these are. That should not stop us from being kind and doing kind things. Even the smallest of actions or words can have a vital impact on those on the receiving end. By committing these kind actions or delivering kind words, we are behaving like Fred.

When you put the word Jesus in place of Fred, does your idea of Fred change? That depends on you. Do you spend time in God’s word learning who Jesus is? If you read His word, you know he is still alive, resurrected and sitting in Heaven with God the Father. Can you identify the characteristics of Jesus? Can you see Him in small bits and pieces of your life? I surely hope so. To become a “Fred” you simply need to become more like Jesus. Oh, I know that sounds so intimidating and unobtainable but, it is not. That is what becoming a Christian is all about. Will we be perfect? No! But that shouldn’t keep us from trying. I believe that is what Fred Shae was all about. Just my opinion.

Mark 12:29-31 says, “The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

There is still one characteristic that makes Fred Shae stand out that I haven’t touched on but I think you know by now what it is. LOVE. Fred Shae loved his job and he loved his customers, his neighborhood. The word love occurs approximately 534 times in the Bible. Ten of those verses tell us to LOVE our neighbor. If God is telling us something 10 times, then it’s important! No matter what we do each day, whether it’s a six-figure job or that of a stay-at-home-mom (Most important and hardest job ever), do it with kindness and love. I will end this week with the same verses I started with. Be the Best “Fred” you can be.

1Corinthians 13:4-8a 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails…. Turn the ordinary into extraordinary every chance you get..