Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

I have a few different television shows that I enjoy. When I actually take the moment to sit down and have mindless activity, I like watching a show on Viceland called Desus and Mero. The hosts of the show are also known as The Bodega Boys on their podcast. I watch the show because it is absolutely hilarious to me. All it is are two guys doing personal funny critique on society at large.

A couple of times, this Jamaican and Dominican duo have caught heat for how they have dealt with video clips with different famous or infamous people. Whenever that has occurred, they made certain not to tone down their personality or style to appease the subjects in question. They have made it known that those questioning their approach would continue to bring “that same energy” to the issue.

In most cases, the people in question could not bring The Bodega Boys to a place of change. The primary reason was that each individual did not have the energy to remain offended. They did not have the response to why they chose to be public with their anger rather than handle things like adults away from the camera. Bottom line, they could not sustain what they did not already have.

That random lesson from TV sparked a thought about real energy/endurance. I can’t count how many times I wake up in the morning and feel weary. My wife would say that I don’t have good sleep hygiene (p.s. I have been better with getting seven hours of sleep). I could say that it is my vitamin D deficiency (many midwesterners lack it). I realize that many of us may treat energy like points with a Wyndham timeshare–borrowing from tomorrow to compensate for today.

We are always grinding to handle business, take care of responsibilities, or spend time with family. In the process, we have done nothing but be busy burning out what is or is not within us. It is almost impossible to sustain a grind without recharging. It is impossible to be everything to everyone all the time without knowing who you are for you. My God, it is unfathomable for any human being to be balanced while functioning in an environment of imbalance. So what do we do? Learn from a story of provision.

When reading in Exodus 16 about the manna, I discovered something I didn’t see coming. Moses explained to the people that one should only gather what they could eat for the day. The text never said that they could not get what they wanted. The challenge was to get people to be introspective about what they could truly handle at one time. Those who had left overs did not get to enjoy the extra. The extra was worm infested and rotten.

The imagery taught me some interesting lessons of God’s provision and our response. When it comes to the energy to endure, God provides daily. Our capacity to receive is only so much. People have been so consumed with the idea and impression that overflow is so paramount that we do not take the time to consider that the limit for us is just that–a necessary limit.

Look again at the text. Moses give a prescribed amount. Each person that received that amount discovered their own limit of consumption. In other words, some of us need more for our daily journey and some of us need less. I need a daily word, time for meditation, and the capacity to write to get me through the day. Other people just need a moment alone and mix that alone time with other outlets. Yet, some people need connection with others to energize their day. Whatever is necessary to fill you up is what it will take to match the energy of the day.

You and I can not used left over energy for tomorrow. We don’t always know what it will take. It may not require the same strategy, skill, or technique. Every day is a unique experience that requires different approaches. However, each day is an opportunity to be reminded of our source.

Toward the end of the chapter, God commanded Moses to take an omer of manna to place with in the Ark of the Covenant. This would serve as the reminder of provision from God in the wilderness. God always provides in difficult circumstance. Even though we may have a consumption capacity, we have limitless access to our supply. The beauty of making it through the day is knowing that God will not cut off my supply. Yet, God will always know that I trust that what I need will always be present. It will never be taken for granted. It will serve as a focus point. God will supply all my needs, so I can bring the same energy to my challenges.

I was on Facebook this weekend when one of my brothers in ministry posted a 57 second clip (which is almost viral) from graduation from our alma mater, Kentucky State University. It was amazing to watch for several reasons. One, it reminded me why I decided to go to an HBCU (Historically Black College or University). The African American experience is not monolithic. It is a vast diaspora of experiences from the totality of the Black experience. Two, it demonstrated the power of celebration on every level. Graduates have a common experience when they reach the pinnacle of academic success–struggle. Three, it showed that celebration is always in order on the other side of struggle.

So what is my problem this morning? My problem is with people that missed the totality of what was taking place. A read on the time line of another alumnus of K-State the disagreement with the “praise break” that took place. As a Christian, I would have taken offense years ago. However, God also gave me perspective as a scholar and social theologian. So allow me a moment to use every aspect of my being to explain the nature of the disconnect.

Much of the offensive nature of the moment in the midst of the larger graduation context was rooted in the idea of distraction. Yes, commencement exercises are these static events that are usually the epitome of an educational institution’s piety. With all of the regalia on display, we are conditioned to be well behaved individuals, though we have much to celebrate. That is why it is inevitable that celebration and shouting will eventually breakout. The generations of family members that never thought this day would come break out in a shout because their baby made it over. Notice that I have not mentioned the strumming of organ chords yet.

Consider the people that may serve as faculty and staff that have watched students labor in the library, classroom, student center, or residence halls trying to grasp concepts and finish projects to demonstrate their competence in an area study. Smiles come across the face and celebration rest in the hearts of people who watch these scholars cross over into the promised land.

The very nature of graduation is celebration. It is no longer about assignments and classwork. It is not about the grind that produced stress and sleep deprivation for everyone in involved in the process (students, professors, support staff, student life, administration, etc). It is the one moment where the entire campus ought to breathe a collective sigh of relief and celebrate accomplishment. But, here comes the deeper issue.

When 60 seconds of a celebration is singled out as a distraction, it lets me know that you are deprived not only of historical context but of the source of celebration. Psalm 150 is the end of a book of songs that signify a crescendo of an attitude of gratitude.

It was 6:36 this morning, and I found myself in my bed staring at my pillow with a thought running rampant in my mind. Am I a better person today? I know some people are not going to have the desire to engage in some introspective look in the soul at this very moment. However, it is a question that I personally wrestle with daily.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to see progress when you are looking at a to-do list for your life. You and I can be living in the deep waters of preoccupation with so many distractions. Most people just want to live with a certain level of comfort and ease that makes the journey more bearable. Yet, we question whether or not we deserve that type of existence. We interrogate our motives for being better people. We agitate future by superimposing our present as the only outcome of our lives.

Brothers and sisters, we must live in the realities of this moment, but we must not diminish the opportunity for better. Every day is an opportunity to become a better person. We must take the lessons of the past and use the information for the future. We must become individuals who strive for become our best selves on each day. I don’t want to be father of the year for 20 minutes. I want my son to see me as “the man” every chance I get. I don’t want to be a great spouse on Valentine’s Day. I want to be a lover, partner, and friend everyday.

All those statements above mean I must give effort to those areas of my life. Nobody is going to obtain the object of their faith constantly telling themselves and others that they claim it, but do absolutely nothing. The Bible is clear that “faith without works is incomplete”. Your better days are not all on God. You have a part in seeing the manifestation. In order to “get better”, I must “get up and do something”.

Do not overlook the opportunity that God presents for you and I to become everything God intended. Do not lose the chance to make certain that your inner being is strengthened daily. To repeat myself from yesterday on Facebook: “If your superficial appearance is stronger than your character, you possess a hollow existence.” Make today a better day…