Robert Melanson is a genius!

Ok I hear you laughing yourself silly Matt and Ben! No need to display your oblivion to simple truths. But let me explain.

I have put my hands everywhere. I have changed diapers, unclogged toilets, emptied refrigerators in houses that were abandoned. I have hunted and then afterwords cleaned my kills. I have dug in wet soppy cow manure looking for the earring a past girlfriend lost (and found it) Not to be over the top gross but I have done it all, seen it all, and lived to tell all about it. I know dirty hands!

As it happens some of my friends share my passion for, shall we say, hands on experience. A while back I was out felling trees with the above mentioned Roberto. As you probably know if you've come to my house about 99% of my trees are pine. Yes, unfortunately there were some situations where I had to really stick my hand in it - in this case pine tree sap. After we got done, we came in the house with what gives new meaning to the term "sticky fingers."

Now I have done this sort of thing a zillion times. I knew we were in for some serious scrubbing and lots of hot water. Robert though surprised me by telling me he was hungry, or so I thought. He said "you have some peanut butter, right?" Now this seemed an odd comment but sure enough, my lovely wife brought out a jar of Jiff and spooned a tablespoon of it up for him. But as you probably guessed he didn't eat it, he washed his hands with it!!! Genius!!!

You see, some magic in the peanut butter got the sap off our hands. Entirely. I mean it didn't just help, it eradicated it with extreme prejudice. When I rubbed this on my own hands for a minute or two then washed up, voila even in a cold rinse the stuff was gone.

Perhaps you think this doesn't make Robert a genius. Well here is where you are mistaken. Sure, he didn't "invent" this, someone showed it to him. Yet as wacky and potentially embarrassing as this solution might seem, not only did Robert remember it but he shared it with his friend Randy. He got past the possibility that I might laugh at him for such a suggestion (what if I had some pine-off cleaner? His idea would look silly) and helpfully educated me on something I would never have thought of myself.

Ok still not convinced Robert is a genius? Well look at all the people in the world who we take the gospel to! We tell them a way to make themselves right with God. A way that WORKS, completely eradicates sin, is simple, and you don't end up in hot water. Something that demonstratively makes your life better than living any other way. While we didn't invent the gospel, and in fact would never have thought it up ourselves,, we can be brave and risk being laughed at for putting forward what the world sees as wacky, which makes it potentially embarrassing. Yet still perfect for "unclean hands."

In short, Robert gets it; he gets over being afraid of getting laughed at and offers real solutions that involve washing yuk off our hands, sap or sin. Other "smart" people reject his advice and are just sure they can figure it out for themselves. And remain in a sticky mess...

Ok, so who's the genius? Best part is we could all be genius if we just realize how smart our father is and follow his wisdom. Right Matt and Ben? <smile!>

Randy