Reach For the Brass Ring

By Lynn Ludwick

Atop my noble stallion, I traversed the rolling countryside. A soft breeze ruffled my hair as we galloped along. All right, the “soft breeze” gives me away. No rushing wind or pounding hooves here—my noble steed was carved in wood and tethered by a pole to a merry-go-round. My sister, brother-in-law, four-year old great niece and I rolled the circular path to the accompaniment of an original band organ. We were all smiling, but no camera could rightly capture the explosion of childlike joy stretched across my niece’s face.

The carousel sat amid a half-dozen kiddy rides in a Western New York amusement park. The only thing missing was the brass ring. In days gone by a metal arm swung out and the lucky young man who grabbed it not only impressed his lady friend, but received a free ride. Now we speak of reaching for the brass ring as an opportunity to attain something prized, to overcome a challenge. The merry-go-round version of another ride sounds appealing, but in real life the re-ride means returning to the same old situation in order to complete the lesson we only partly learned.

Dramatic changes mark my life these days. At times the path I travel is as smooth and predictable as the carousel’s course. On other days it’s as though the wooden horse has come to life and galloped at breakneck speeds over rocky terrain, rife with danger and detours.

No matter the nature of the ride, however, I want to be on the lookout for that illusive brass ring. I like prizes. And with God there are no booby prizes. I used to imagine a huge pile heaped with my unclaimed blessings, my missed opportunities. I know better now. It’s not in His nature to wave failure in my face, to strut with arrogance and sneer as He reminds me how my life could have been better.

I wonder how many times the brass ring has dangled close by while I was busy looking the other direction, navigating the journey on my own and barely surviving. How many prizes have I missed? Thankfully God caught my attention and I attained the grandest prize of all—my salvation—securely tucked in my pocket. What sort of other prizes do I desire? One of Paul’s lists comes to mind, God’s blessings we call the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22,23) Oh my, what a list of choices. I want them all! But for now I’ll focus on just a few. Joy, peace and kindness.

Joy.
Not the happy feeling that comes from buying a new car or having life go my way, but a deeply internalized knowing that God is good, watching over me, guiding my circumstances, ready at any given moment to listen to me and reply. That knowledge, camped on and reaffirmed, will give truer joy than any BMW or momentary happiness could.

Peace.
Shalom. The calm and comfort rooted as deeply as joy, which carries me through the thorny challenges that face me daily. God’s true inner peace is something I can draw on in the midst of turmoil and no one can take it from me. Such peace enables me to survive the most difficult times.

Kindness.
I often told my children when they were young to be kind and now I tell my grandchildren. This requires effort on my part. I need to bite my tongue rather than put someone down, to avoid the clever comeback, to affirm people and defend them when folks mistreat them, to treat all people with respect. This fruit enables me to go the extra mile when it’s anything but convenient.

I truly desire the prizes God offers, and the brass ring dangles within my reach. My Bible provides a roadmap and God promises personal directions through the Holy Spirit. The path of my life may not be as smooth and gentle as the merry-go-round, but I hope my smile will be as sweet as my great niece’s because my ride is in God’s hands.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Lynn Ludwick writes from Medford, OR. lynniegirl45@hotmail.com