"This is what I wish for all my children that they live without fear."
Fearless.
The story goes like this. A young man had recently taken on the responsibility of being a "Big Brother" to a young boy who was in Grade Four. Eager to be a good example and to make a difference in the boys life, each summer he would ensure that the young boy had a weekend away at a lake.
While at the lake he spared no expense. Whatever the boy wanted to do...they did it. They enjoyed lazy days on the lake, rented Seadoo's, and every meal was in a restaurant. Money was not a concern.
However, there was one ride on the lake that would be a "no go" for years. The young man said the para-sailing ride was "too expensive." The truth of the situation would not come out until six summers had past. Each year they would go up to the lake and enjoy all the experiences and "eating out" any boy would appreciate. Also, each year they watched the para-sailing ride take thrill seekers high above the lake...and each year the response from the young man to the young boy was that it was..."just too expensive".
The truth of the matter came out in the seventh year...you see, the young man was afraid that if he was to put the parachute harness on, signal the boat driver to go with the traditional "thumbs up"...that he would not go up in the air...but, he would be dragged behind the boat. This was all in his head but he was not going to take any chance of embarassment. You see, the young man had a picture in his mind that he was still the "fat kid" that was last to be picked in the elementary school gym team. His perception of how he saw himself...was more powerful...than the reality of who he actually was.
Well, as you guessed it, in the seventh year, by some force he was propelled to take this leap. He pays and gets his harness on and then gives the "thumbs up" sign to the boat driver. The boat digs in and like magic...the young man goes up high in the air. From this vantage point he can see the wondrous beauty of the colours in the water, the orchards, the sun on his face and the desert beyond...it was amazing!
Then something happened that changed his life forever, he heard a still small voice clearly say, "This is what I wish for all my children, that they would live without fear." If that was how God speaks then this was one of those times. Amazed, he safely landed back on the shore.
With this new understanding, he went home and considered his new insight. Two weeks later, while praying he asks God..."What do you want me to do that I am too afraid to do...because I don't want to get to Heaven and find out you had some nifty plans for me...but I was to afraid to do it." Again, like the time before, a still small voice said, "Run for (election)."
Faithful to the voice, he ran, and no one thought he would win. On election day the local papers rated all the candidates and gave the young man the worst odds on his chance of winning the election. He ran and won by 86 votes.
So the question for you today is, "What does God want you to do...because you don't want to get to Heaven and find out he had some nifty things for you to do...but you were too afraid do it?"
By the way...in case you didn't guess already...the young man was me.
The story goes like this. A young man had recently taken on the responsibility of being a "Big Brother" to a young boy who was in Grade Four. Eager to be a good example and to make a difference in the boys life, each summer he would ensure that the young boy had a weekend away at a lake.
While at the lake he spared no expense. Whatever the boy wanted to do...they did it. They enjoyed lazy days on the lake, rented Seadoo's, and every meal was in a restaurant. Money was not a concern.
However, there was one ride on the lake that would be a "no go" for years. The young man said the para-sailing ride was "too expensive." The truth of the situation would not come out until six summers had past. Each year they would go up to the lake and enjoy all the experiences and "eating out" any boy would appreciate. Also, each year they watched the para-sailing ride take thrill seekers high above the lake...and each year the response from the young man to the young boy was that it was..."just too expensive".
The truth of the matter came out in the seventh year...you see, the young man was afraid that if he was to put the parachute harness on, signal the boat driver to go with the traditional "thumbs up"...that he would not go up in the air...but, he would be dragged behind the boat. This was all in his head but he was not going to take any chance of embarassment. You see, the young man had a picture in his mind that he was still the "fat kid" that was last to be picked in the elementary school gym team. His perception of how he saw himself...was more powerful...than the reality of who he actually was.
Well, as you guessed it, in the seventh year, by some force he was propelled to take this leap. He pays and gets his harness on and then gives the "thumbs up" sign to the boat driver. The boat digs in and like magic...the young man goes up high in the air. From this vantage point he can see the wondrous beauty of the colours in the water, the orchards, the sun on his face and the desert beyond...it was amazing!
Then something happened that changed his life forever, he heard a still small voice clearly say, "This is what I wish for all my children, that they would live without fear." If that was how God speaks then this was one of those times. Amazed, he safely landed back on the shore.
With this new understanding, he went home and considered his new insight. Two weeks later, while praying he asks God..."What do you want me to do that I am too afraid to do...because I don't want to get to Heaven and find out you had some nifty plans for me...but I was to afraid to do it." Again, like the time before, a still small voice said, "Run for (election)."
Faithful to the voice, he ran, and no one thought he would win. On election day the local papers rated all the candidates and gave the young man the worst odds on his chance of winning the election. He ran and won by 86 votes.
So the question for you today is, "What does God want you to do...because you don't want to get to Heaven and find out he had some nifty things for you to do...but you were too afraid do it?"
By the way...in case you didn't guess already...the young man was me.
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