Keeping a Good Perspective

Tom, a Gulistan Carpet salesman, shakes my hand and takes a seat in my office.

We converse in Gulistan’s product development building, where I work in Aberdeen, N.C. Our conversation goes something like this:

“You’re taking over the North Carolina sales district, too,” I say.

“Yep, I’m on the go,” says Tom, who told me last year that he’s a Christian. “I’m 56, and when I hired on here some years ago, I told them I was going to retire at Gulistan.”

Tom tilts his head sideways and rolls his eyes, indicating he’s not sure he’ll make it to retirement age without getting “let go.” He recently worked as Gulistan’s South Carolina representative, but the company cut its sales force and told Tom he’d have to cover S.C. and North Carolina, too.

“I’m doing some driving at night, so I can get to a town and be at an appointment early the next day,” Tom says.

He tells of talking recently with a man in his fifties who sells carpet for a competitor. Tom says that man told him, “I work out and try to stay in shape, because I know there are 100 young fellows out there who want my job!”

We have no promise of tomorrow. But, as the late songwriter Ira F. Stanphill advised, we can trust the One “who holds tomorrow.”

I years ago met Stanphill when he visited a small church near Greenville, S.C. He said some people referred to his famous song as “I Don’t Know about Tomorrow,” but that the title is “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.” He felt there was a big difference between those two titles.

Ira Stanphill (1914-1993) was born in Belleview, New Mexico, and by age 10 became fluent at playing the piano, organ, ukelele and accordion. At 17, he was composing and performing his own music for church services, revival campaigns and prayer meetings.

Educated at Junior College in Chillocothe, Missouri, Stanphill later received an honorary PhD from Hyles-Anderson College in Hammond, Indiana.

Stanphill traveled the U.S. and Canada and visited 40 countries to preach and sing. Many secular singers performed his works. Elvis Presley recorded “Mansion Over the Hilltop” and "His Hand in Mind." Johnny Cash recorded “Suppertime.” Bill Gaither performed “We’ll Talk It Over.”

Here are some words – good words for the troubled days we live in – contained in “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”:

“I don’t know about tomorrow, / I just live from day to day. / I don’t borrow from its sunshine, / For its skies may turn to gray. / I don’t worry o’er the future, / For I know what Jesus said, / And today I’ll walk beside Him, / For He knows what is ahead.”

Refrain:
“Many things about tomorrow, / I don’t seem to understand; / But I know Who holds tomorrow, / And I know Who holds my hand.”

Stanphill’s third verse of his famous song seems fitted for “these days”:

“I don’t know about tomorrow, / It may bring me poverty; / But the One Who feeds the sparrow, / Is the One Who stands by me. / And the path that be my portion, / May be through the flame or flood, / But His presence goes before me, / And I’m covered with His blood.”

Refrain:
“Many things about tomorrow, / I don’t seem to understand; / But I know Who holds tomorrow, / And I know Who holds my hand.”

Someone recently sent me these statements to help me keep a good perspective during “days of change”:

“Whatever happens in our country, Jesus is still King. Our responsibilities as Christians have not changed one iota.

“The greatest agent for social change in America is still this: winning the hearts and minds of men and women through the gospel, not legislation.

“My primary citizenship is still in this order: (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America (and not vice-versa).

“The tomb of Jesus is still empty.

“The cross, not the government, is still our salvation.

“God is in control.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man” (Psalm 118:8).