My roommate and lifting partner in college was an ardent atheist.
I've been a devout Christian my entire life.
We spent every waking moment together, from the dorm room to the gym. I truly loved him like a brother.
After school ended, we went our separate ways and talked, at most, once a year.
He called me the other day to let me know he was having twins. This was literally one year after my Wife and I had ours.
In addition to the news of the babies, he let me know that he had dedicated his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I wept.
We debated theology constantly in school.
He would go with me to church every once in a while because he said he liked the "hot girls." I didn't care, I just wanted him to sit under hot Gospel preaching.
I felt like I failed him in a lot of ways. My answers weren't always the most buttoned up, and although I was living for the Lord, he still saw my sin daily.
Hearing his testimony, I was reminded that I have no power to save. It is the Lord's and His alone.
Let me encourage you to not grow weary in doing good.
You may not see the fruit of your efforts for years, or ever at all. But, seeing the fruit is not your duty. Planting and watering it is.
Patrick Swayze once said: "They told me my house smelled like dogs, and I asked them: Do you know what a dog smells like? It smells like gratitude, loyalty, nobility, affection, pure and unconditional love. And despite everything theyโve been through, they donโt smell like resentment. So, I feel blessed that my house smells like dogs."
I needed this story tonight!
In one of the most notable moments in sports history, Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was just a few feet from the finish line, but became confused with the signage and stopped thinking he had completed the race.
A Spanish athlete, Ivan Fernandez, was right behind him, and after realizing what was happening, he started shouting at the Kenyan for him to continue running; but Mutai didn't understand his Spanish.
Fernandez eventually caught up to him and instead of passing him, he pushed him to victory.
A journalist asked Ivan, "Why did you do that?"
Ivan replied, โMy dream is that someday we can have a kind of community life where we push and help each other to win.โ The journalist insisted โBut why did you let the Kenyan win?" Ivan replied, "I didn't let him win, he was going to win.โ The journalist insisted again, โBut you could have won!โIvan looked at him & replied, โBut what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor of that medal?
What would my Mom think of that?โ
Values are transmitted from generation to generation.
What values are we teaching our children?
Let us not teach our kids the wrong ways to WIN. ๐