What Looney Tunes has taught ME

Saturday I had what I call a Yosemite Sam fit. I was trying to do something in a hurry and made a mess. The mess ended up taking a LOT more time to clean up than the task would have taken to finish had I done it with some sanity. Due to the mess, I had my fit. My poor dd had to listen to my fit via phone line but she is very patient with Yosemite Sam types like me.

I certainly responded to my situation in a way that was lots less than Godly. As I thought about it that evening I realized that I really am a lot like Yosemite when I respond that way.

I remember one little cartoon in particular in which Sam was trying to be more “civilized” than usual. He had dressed in a suit with a bow tie and was living in a mansion on a high cliff. The doorbell rings and in walks…Bugs! Oh, my goodness, what a blow to Yo’s hopes and dreams of becoming a new man!

He was able to hold it together for just a little bit, but next thing you know, he’s throwing a fit and trying to kill the wabbit. (I know, that was Elmer…) Sam’s problem was the same as mine--anger at things not having gone our way. We responded in the same way, except I wanted to kill a growing pile of bread dough. It is natural to respond that way, that’s why the cartoon is so funny, but I'm supposed to be a new creation, not natural!

Trying to work totally in the flesh to change myself won’t work. I have to allow the Holy Spirit to change me, but first I have to listen when He tells me I need to change. I also must understand that I am not in control of my circumstances usually, but I can, with His help, control how I respond to those circumstances. (Hormones are not an excuse. )

There were some scriptures in particular that were brought to mind, because the LORD uses all that He has given to work together in our lives. The Holy Spirit works with scripture and our offering of ourselves as living sacrifices to change us into the image our Lord.

Psalm 24:3-4 My day Saturday did not begin with a pure heart, and probably not clean hands either. I had carried some baggage over night and was already dealing with some anger. I slept late and did not start my day with prayer. That combination usually deals me a load of misery.

Matthew 6:14-15 says VERY clearly that I need to forgive and leave the baggage by the wayside. I did not do that even though I was dealing with a very small offense. My heart wasn’t in tune with the Lord or else I would have forgiven such a slight offense without much thought.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-24 I wasn’t rejoicing, praying, being thankful, holding fast to the good or abstaining from the appearance of evil and I wasn’t feeling any peace either. Duh. I really should have just stopped and prayed, etc. My whole outlook would’ve been different.


Would ANYbody in their right mind call Yosemite Sam a Christian? “They” tell me that the word Christian means “little Christ”. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, Acts tells us. Who named them? We are given no indication that they named themselves, but rather that others began calling them by that name to identify them with Jesus and it was probably also because they acted like the One they followed. Do I? I don’t really like the answer to that question sometimes.

What does the LORD have to say about my behavior? Are my hands clean and my heart pure? What motivates me? How do I speak to others? Is it with love and respect or irritation and impatience? Is there someone that I need to ask for forgiveness because of the careless way I’ve treated them? How do I spend my time and is there a better way I could spend my time? Would those who know me best call me a “little Christ”? If I were to die today would they say of me, like they did of Dorcas in Acts, she was full of good works and alms deeds?

Those are some tough questions, but if I truly want to break out of my Looney Tunes mentality I must ask them of myself over and over. What about you, how is the Lord speaking to you today?
February 7, 2010