"Behind Every Great Man . . . "

 

It's been said often that behind every great man is a great woman. In the case of Abraham Lincoln there is little doubt this proved true. 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is arguably one of the greatest if not the greatest of American presidents. He served in a tumultuous time in which a wrong decision on his part may have very well led to the end of the Union as we know it today. Thankfully for our nation, his crisis leadership, faith, courage, and strong intellect was exactly what our country needed at that moment in history. When the survival of the union hung on a thread, Lincoln came through. Not only did the Union survive, the evil institution of slavery was destroyed. Yet Lincoln, was a most unlikely prospect to become president, let alone save the Union!

Lincoln was born in poverty in the back woods of Kentucky. Schooling? In his own words it came in "littles,” a day a week here and a month there. Historians believe that when you add up the "littles" his formal education amounted to about a year. And
yet this man, through educating himself went on to write one of the most brilliant presidential speeches ever given, the Gettysburg Address! So how did he get from a one room, dirt floor log cabin to the oval office in the nation's most famous house? The answer in part can be found in one woman in his life.

When Lincoln was just nine, two years after his family moved from Kentucky to Indiana, his mother died. A year later his father, Thomas, took a trip back to Kentucky and returned with a new wife along with her four children. Sarah Bush Lincoln became a champion for young Abe. She persuaded Thomas to allow his son to read and study at home along with any of the "littles" young Abe could grab when schooling opportunities happened along. Af first Thomas was reluctant, but he gradually came to the point of offering some mild encouragement to his son in this regard. 

The championing of Abraham Lincoln's step mother of his desire to learn was certainly a key to him becoming the man for his times. Without her influence, we might need a passport to travel to Virginia today! 

All of us need a champion. One who will have our best interests at heart. One who will stand by us through both good and hard times. One who will always encourage us to keep on keeping on. I can think of a number of "champions" who greatly impacted me. I would not be the man I am today without their fingerprints on my life. But I can only think of one "Champion" who has changed me (and is continuing to change me) from the inside out! His name is Jesus. He is behind everything I do. And he has promised to never leave me no matter how many more steps remain on my journey through life. 

How about you? Is Jesus YOUR champion? Have you heeded his call to come to him, realizing you need a Savior? And if you have decided to follow him, how is that going for you? 

If you'd like to chat, feel free to reach out to me at jsmith@gracewv.org. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

PJ

Flying Fast and Getting Nowhere!

Back in my childhood days, getting a rare sight of Canadian Geese was a thrill! Every fall, I could look up into the skies and see (and hear!) flocks of various size winging their way south for the winter. Six months later, they returned overhead, now flying north to their summer breeding and feeding grounds. But over the years, an increasing number of these beautiful creatures have been staying put in their locales all year round (except for those in the far north).  

My wife and I moved into a new home at the end of August. We soon discovered there were numerous geese who make their home nearby. Each day I hear their loud honking overhead as they encourage one another to fly on! But fly where? Unlike their migratory cousins, who appear on the northern horizon only to disappear as they wing their way south, our neighboring geese fly in circles trying to decide which empty field might yield some tasty delights. 

I see myself in these neighboring geese. I am often running here and there, seeking this or that, when I should be running the race God has set before me. There is a finish line ahead. I am called to run toward that goal, keeping my eyes focused on Jesus. He stands there at the finish line cheering me on. Yet, like my feathered neighbors, I an prone to run fast ... but to run in circles. This happens when I take my eyes off of Christ, and look to find satisfaction in what this fallen world has to offer. 

How about you, my friend? Do you find yourself flying fast and getting nowhere? If so, take a look at the thoughts filling your mind, the values filling your heart, the activities filling your days. Are these things helping you to grow more in love with Jesus? Take stock. Stop flying fast and getting nowhere. Instead go hard after Jesus. For he, and only he, is the way the truth and the life.

Thanks for stopping by, 

PJ