THE BALD GUY

     Things had been really quiet around the police station while Harold was visiting the monastery and Sergeant Halfway was somewhat enjoying the quiet, well, almost. For the Sergeant it had become almost too quiet. So much so, he was getting bored. “Well,” he said to himself, “I guess that's another day.” and grabbed his coat and headed for the door but he never made it.

      Although it was quitting time, he had his duty to fulfill and when the phone started ringing, he had to answer it. “Hello.” he said. “This is Sergeant Halfway, can I help you?” “My husband is missing.” came the frantic voice on the other end of the line. “Alright.” he said slumping back into his chair, “What is his name?

      “It's Robert Grey.” came the voice on the line. “Is this Helen?” Halfway asked. “If I remember correctly, he's not lost, he went to the monastery a couple weeks ago to visit Harold, or did he forget where he was going?” “Oh, he made it there alright,” Helen replied, “And came home a couple days ago.”

      Hearing that, Halfway forgot about Robert being lost and started asking how Harold was doing. “He seems to be doing alright.” Helen said, “But I guess he's been kind of cold.” “Cold?” Sergeant Halfway laughed, “I've never heard of a kid that eats as much as Harold does ever get cold.” “Well,” Martha said, “He hasn't been able to eat like that and Robert said they don't keep the monastery heated and remember that mop of hair that sits on Harold's head?” “How could I knot?” Halfway replied. “Well,” Helen continued, “It's gone. Robert said he shaved it clean off.”

      Hearing that must have put Sergeant Halfway into shock. After several moments of silence, he finally said, “Do, you mean he is bald?” “Balder than my husband.” Helen replied. “I bet he looks funny.” Halfway half laughed. “That's what my husband thought too.” Helen responded. “I once shaved my head bald too and I remember looking funny.” Halfway laughed. “You still do.” Helen replied with a laugh.

      Not liking the direction the conversation was going after that remark, Sergeant Halfway turned things back to the missing Robert. “So,” He said, “What can you tell me about your missing husband?” “Well,” Helen said, “I told you that Harold shaved his head so he asked Robert to find his space helmet and send it to him so he could keep his head warm.”

      “So,” Halfway asked, “What does this helmet have to do with your husband missing?” “Robert went to find it and hasn't been seen since.” Helen told him. “When and where did he go to look for it?” Halfway asked. “He went looking for it two days ago in Harold's room.” Helen said. When he heard that, Sergeant Halfway started sputtering, “I think you'll be on your own on this one.” he said, “I can't spare anybody to help in case they get lost too. I will pray for you though.” “Alright.” Helen sighed, “I guess I'll just wait.”

     What do you do with the things you consider valuable? In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus tells of a man who found something he considered to be valuable - a pearl of great value. So, he sold all he had to buy it, took it home and then.... Did he take care of it? We usually don't want to lose things of value but I know of four men who all lost something that I would consider valuable.

      The first was a man named Goliath. Goliath makes a challenge, David accepts and... Here's the story in brief. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. And as he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. - 1 Samuel 17:20-51 (ESV)

      The second man was Saul. He was in a battle with the Philistines And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Thus Saul died. The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off his head. - 1 Samuel 31:1-10 (ESV)

      The third man was Ish-bosheth and he was taking a nap when they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, - 2 Samuel 4:5-8 (ESV)

      Are you seeing a pattern? You may then guess what Sheba lost. Sheba led a revolt against David, lost and ran. Joab found him. And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. Then a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, 'Come here, that I may speak to you.' " Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall." Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab.- 2 Samuel 20:1-22 (ESV)

      Do you see the pattern? Heads are valuable, at least I wouldn't want to lose mine. In Ephesians 6:17 Paul says and take the helmet of salvation, (ESV) and as we all know, the helmet protects the head and the head contains the brain or the mind. Here are some versus o the mind.

• Romans 8:6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (ESV)
• Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)
• Ephesians 4:22-24 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (ESV)
• 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (ESV)

      The mind is very important so lets use it and Ponder On These Things.

• Do you go out go the way to protect your mind – what goes in?
• Do you use your mind in a proper way before God?