January 2026 – The Turning Points of Life

Embedded in the teaching of Christ is an inclusive commandment, namely the Reciprocity Commandment. When the disciples inquired as to how they should pray, Jesus responded with the comprehensive prayer we now express in each divine service as a prelude to receiving His grace by the absolution and His strength and virtue thorough the Holy Communion. We have prayed this prayer thousands of times. But has the essence of that prayer found its way into our soul and being to the extent that it powerfully influences our thought and conduct?

There is a very important phrase within the Lord’s Prayer that implies a most important expectation that our God has for each of us, the concept of spiritual reciprocity. It is the phrase: “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”. Jesus used these terms because they imply the worst in our interpersonal relationships, sin against our brother and sister. To better understand the comprehensive nature of this, allow me to suggest a few expansions on this Commandment of Reciprocity.

First allow me to reverse the phrase and personalize the words, as it may be easier to fathom:

as we forgive our debtors, forgive us our debts

as I empathize with my brethren, empathize with me

as I comfort my brethren, comfort me

as I do good for my brethren, do good for me

as I encourage my brethren, encourage me

as I care for my brethren, care for me

as I am gracious toward my brethren, be gracious unto me

as I seek to guide my brethren by my conduct, let me see Your conduct and be so guided

as I seek to be a blessing to my brethren, bless me

as I am an advocate for my brethren, be an advocate for me

as I seek the good in my brethren, search me for the good in me

as I rise above disappointments in my brethren, rise above when I disappoint You

as I seek to bring peace to my brethren, bring peace to my soul

I am sure that there are more . . .

TURNING POINTS

The reversing of the words offers an opportunity to change one’s perspective and facilitate a paradigm shift to more effectively assimilate the essence of the words and what they mean for our personal gropwth. This can be a meaningful turning point and is multiplied when expanded to other familiar word phrases.

Early on a Friday, a brilliant nuclear physicist approached me with urgent news: “You need to cancel the shipment for Monday!” he exclaimed. Curious and concerned, I asked, “Why?” He explained that the large inspection machine had suffered a broken encoder and that this was the last one available. Realizing the shipment required a highly specialized vehicle, one that was notoriously difficult to schedule and had already taken significant effort to secure for Monday, I insisted he show me the problem firsthand.

After inspecting the machine together, it became clear that the encoder, a device that helps control the machine’s movements precisely, was indeed broken. However, I quickly realized this particular encoder was designed for laboratory use and not for the demands of a production environment. In production, machines face constant use and vibration, making a ruggedized encoder essential to ensure reliability and performance.

The physicist seemed convinced it would be impossible to obtain the proper replacement in time for shipment. But I wasn’t ready to accept defeat. I knew that waiting for standard procedures would delay our shipment, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and reach out directly to the company’s president. Determination fueled my actions.

Once I had the catalogue in hand, I immediately noticed the company president’s picture on the opening page. Without hesitation, I called information, requested his home number in Cleveland, Ohio, and dialed. A woman answered, and I said, “Hello, pardon me for calling at five o’clock. I hope I’m not interfering with your dinner. I am Allan Musterer calling from San Diego. I am in critical need to speak to your husband regarding a product we have purchased from his company. Is he available?”

She replied, “I am sorry, he’s about to return from the office. Oh, wait, here he is!” Her husband picked up, and I explained our dilemma, emphasizing the urgency and critical nature of our request. I asked if he could get us the ruggedized encoder by tomorrow.

He responded without hesitation, “Yes, I can call my foremen to package one up, and there’s an American Airlines flight to San Diego that leaves early in the morning and arrives at 1:45 pm. Will that work for you?”

“Absolutely!” I replied, grateful for his exceptional service. After hanging up, I turned to see the scientist, who was visibly astonished.

“How did you do that?” he stuttered.

I answered, “I believed I could, so I did. You believed you couldn’t, so you didn’t.” I let that sink in, then continued, “Now you need to tell the team to prepare the machine to receive the new encoder and work through the weekend to get everything ready for the scheduled shipment on Monday.”

The shipment went out on schedule that Monday.

Turning Point

This experience reinforced my belief that proactive problem-solving and unwavering determination can turn obstacles into opportunities. By believing in myself and acting decisively, I was able to keep the project on track and inspire those around me to do the same. This was also evidence of the truth of my favorite saying “If you believe you can or you believe you can’t – you are right!” and my corollary to it “If you believe you can you will, but if you believe you can’t you won’t.”

Month: January 2026

The Reciprocity Commandment of Jesus

I Believed I Could, So I Did