COURAGE TRANSFUSION 3&4

 

Courage Transfusion, Part Three by Charles R. Swindoll 1 Corinthians 16:13; Hebrews 5:11-14 Once we've been assured of the foundational principles we've covered thus far in this devotional series, the challenge we face in our chaotic times is painfully obvious. What we need is a courage transfusion. Four commands are found in 1 Corinthians 16:13: "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." We've focused on the first two; today we're discussing number three. Here's the third command: Grow up! If the first two haven't been strong enough, I thought I'd get your attention with the third one. Here are two words you may not have heard lately: Grow up! Paul says it like this: "Act like men." I know you're an adult. But age proves nothing. It's maturity that matters. This command urges us to be adults in things that matter, like taking responsibility, thinking clearly, and acting courteously. I love the motto of the Ritz-Carlton Hotels. Cynthia and I are good friends with Bill Johnson, who, for a long time, owned the Ritz-Carlton organization. They came up with a wonderful motto. While sitting at one of our Insight for Living board meetings, I looked over in Bill's direction and asked, "Can you give me the mission statement of the Ritz-Carlton?" His response was instantaneous: "I sure can." He pulled a small card out of his shirt pocket and read, "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." Was I impressed! So, when Cynthia and I were staying for a few days at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Maui the following summer, the lady who made up our bed came in every day. She was so kind and extremely efficient. Remembering Bill Johnson's comment, I decided to ask her a similar question. I said, "By the way, Maria, do you know the Ritz-Carlton motto?" There was no hesitation as she stood a little taller, smiled, and answered, "Oh, yes sir. We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." It had permeated from the top all the way through to the people who make the beds. They take their mission seriously. They're adults when it comes to being responsible. There's something great about being an adult, a real lady, a real gentleman. It helps you stand tall. Did you know that this is the only place in all the New Testament where these words appear? "Act like a man." One-time-only words are called a hapax legomena, which means, "spoken once." Now, it's used in other ways in the Old Testament Greek Bible, but this is the only place where "act like a man" appears in the New. So this is God's unique message to all of us, as if He's punching His finger against our sternum. Isn't it about time you take responsibility for your own actions? When you do what's wrong, say it was wrong. You're the one who caused the problem? Admit it. That's what adults do. You tell someone you'll do something, then do it! Let's act like ladies and gentlemen. Ladies keep their word. Gentlemen are faithful and true.   Excerpted from Why, God? Calming Words for Chaotic Times, Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide Courage Transfusion, Part Four by Charles R. Swindoll 1 Corinthians 16:13; Hebrews 10:35-36 We've been talking about the need in our day for a courage transfusion. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 16:13, we've looked at three important commands: Stay alert! Stand alone! Grow up! Now the last command won't surprise you at all; you're all ready for it: Get tough! I didn't say "mean," I said "tough." Look at the way it reads: "Be strong." Have you ever played for a coach who wasn't tough? If so, guess what you did all season---lose! Great coaches are tough-minded; they attract people who do their best for them. Winning requires being tough! If you're a preacher and you speak week after week, preach what needs to be said, not what others want you to say. You preach it until the day you die. Stand firm, even if they don't want to hear it and finally run you off. That's your calling. If you're a counselor, tell the truth to people you counsel, even when they don't want to hear it. Truth sets people free. Suppose a friend says to you, "You know, I have to admit, things aren't great between Bob and me at home. Our marriage isn't going anywhere. And so, wouldn't you know it, I met this guy at the gym. Boy, he is terrific. He's more my type. Matter of fact, we're going out to dinner tomorrow night." She thinks she's solving her problem, but you know better. She needs tough love. Put your arm around her and say, "That's the worst thing you could possibly do. What you're getting into will only multiply your difficulties at home." If you're a counselor and you have a counselee who comes in whining over something that's really sinful, don't shrug it off and say, "Oh that's okay. I understand. Those things happen. I'll pray that things work out." No. It's time to speak up. Tell the person to stop and help him know how. Tough talk works! Sinning brings bondage. Caring enough to confront and speak truth will set people free. We're all freer as a result of hearing truth from the Scriptures. You're not deeper into your problems, wondering how you'll ever get out of this mess you made. God's Word is a lamp. Finally, you can see some light. We're living in a world of people so twisted they make you think perversion is right. And if you don't think perversion is right, you're wrong. That's madness! The Bible calls it confusion. Call it that. I don't care if you're the only one thinking like that. It's part of doing what's right. Getting tough begins with being tough on yourself. I was digging around a dusty old bookstore several years ago, and I came across a little volume on the life of the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven. He was some kind of man. He composed some of his greatest musical works after he lost his hearing. He ultimately went stone deaf. As the thickness was drawing a veil over his auditory nerves, he had to rely more and more on the feelings in his fingers. At times he would even rest his forehead on the piano to hear the vibrations of what was being played. At one time, in a frustrated moment, he slammed both fists on the keyboard and shouted, "I will take life by the throat!" What great advice for life. Take it by the throat. Stay alert! Stand alone! Grow up! Get tough! That's what we have to do both as Christians and as Americans. Now is the time for a courage transfusion. We have to be alert against the enemy. We have to stand alone against evil, even if others choose not to. We have to grow up as a nation---stand tall and act like men and women. And we have to be tough---not mean, not responding with evil for evil---but tough. Meeting the challenge. Taking life by the throat. Standing up. Standing tall. Standing firm. Standing together.   Excerpted from Why, God? Calming Words for Chaotic Times, Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.