Learn To Confront
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
If you grew up in a family where confrontation left only wounds, you may have become 'a tap-dancer'. That's a pity, for "iron sharpens iron," and there are definite times when you need to confront, like:
When others stand to be hurt. Paul writes, "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was… wrong" (Galatians 2:11 NIV). Wow! The Clash of the Titans! Listen again, "Before certain men came… [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to… separate himself [and]… The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy… even Barnabas was led astray" (Galatians 2:12-13 NIV).
When somebody is settling for less. A woman bought a pair of dingy candlesticks at a yard sale for a dollar. Assuming they were made of pewter, she took them home, dusted them and set them on her table. One day a friend who worked in antiques dropped by; "When are you going to clean those candlesticks?" she asked. "What do you mean?" the woman asked, "I just dusted them yesterday." "Dusted?" laughed her friend. "They need to be buffed and polished. They're silver!" So they got silver polish and clean cloths and went to work, until the dull charcoal veneer yielded a pair of gleaming silver candlesticks. Confrontation - the right kind - removes the tarnish that keeps us from shining as God intended us to. Today ask God to make you willing to confront, and when necessary, to be confronted. Your growth depends on it!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Caught Unprepared
He will appear a second time… to… those who are waiting for Him."Hebrews 9:28 NIV
When President Eisenhower was vacationing in Denver, he was told about a six year-old boy named Paul Haley who was dying of an incurable cancer. Paul had one great dream - to some day meet the president. "Let's go see him", Eisenhower said to one of his aids. So they drove over to the boy's house.
The flags on the fenders were flying that Sunday afternoon, as the big black limo rolled up. Out stepped the president with his bodyguards and knocked on the door. Paul's father answered, wearing old jeans, a grubby shirt and a full day's growth on his beard. "Can I help ya?" he asked. Eisenhower responded, "Is Paul here? Tell him the President of the United States would like to meet with him." Thrilled, little Paul Haley walked around his father's legs and stood looking up into the face he admired most. The president kneeled down, hugged him and took him out to sit in the presidential limousine. Before they said good-bye they shook hands, then just as suddenly as he appeared - he left.
The neighbours still talk about that day. But one man was not entirely happy about it, that was Paul's dad, Donald Haley, who said: "I'll never forget standing there in those old jeans, a dirty shirt and a grubby beard to meet the president. If only I'd known he was coming."
He just wasn't prepared. Are you? Listen: "He will appear a second time… to those who are waiting for Him" (Hebrews 9:28 NIV). If you want to go - you've got to be ready!
When President Eisenhower was vacationing in Denver, he was told about a six year-old boy named Paul Haley who was dying of an incurable cancer. Paul had one great dream - to some day meet the president. "Let's go see him", Eisenhower said to one of his aids. So they drove over to the boy's house.
The flags on the fenders were flying that Sunday afternoon, as the big black limo rolled up. Out stepped the president with his bodyguards and knocked on the door. Paul's father answered, wearing old jeans, a grubby shirt and a full day's growth on his beard. "Can I help ya?" he asked. Eisenhower responded, "Is Paul here? Tell him the President of the United States would like to meet with him." Thrilled, little Paul Haley walked around his father's legs and stood looking up into the face he admired most. The president kneeled down, hugged him and took him out to sit in the presidential limousine. Before they said good-bye they shook hands, then just as suddenly as he appeared - he left.
The neighbours still talk about that day. But one man was not entirely happy about it, that was Paul's dad, Donald Haley, who said: "I'll never forget standing there in those old jeans, a dirty shirt and a grubby beard to meet the president. If only I'd known he was coming."
He just wasn't prepared. Are you? Listen: "He will appear a second time… to those who are waiting for Him" (Hebrews 9:28 NIV). If you want to go - you've got to be ready!
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