The study of Scripture is full of surprises.
To take custody of the word of God you don't need to cover your beard, in fact, in view of 1 Timothy 2:12, just explained, a beard is a definite plus.
Having little to do with this thread, the following email is still a spiritual boost and important lesson so I want to share it with all of you
just cause. . . . sort of re: DUCT TAPE
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This story was written by our second son, Brent. It will brighten your day.
RaJean Vawter
Sugar and spice and everything nice ... that's what little girls are made of.
Snaps and snails and puppy dog tails ... that's what little boys are made of.
Oh yeh, ... and duct tape!
Austin is two months from finishing 5th grade and is looking forward to the end of Friday afternoon vocabulary tests. A straight-A student, he consistently makes perfect scores on the spelling portion but is always an answer or two off on the vocabulary piece. "Trick questions," he contends! But the truth is that he uses the "Dad, what does this word mean" definition instead of what the book wants him to memorize.
So last night we set out to memorize every definition exactly as it's defined in the book. Shouldn't be too hard for only 15 words, right? Repetition, repetition, repetition. Yet after more than an hour of solid study, he was still getting definitions mixed between words or forgetting key synonyms altogether. Our study time had quietly turned into an exercise in frustration, evidenced by the tear I now saw racing for his chin.
"I'm so dumb," Austin said with shoulders slumped and eyes floating. "Dude, that is not true. Go read the paper that's on the table." So he got up and read the short affirmation that I copied from my friends Chris and Michelle who have painted it on a wall in their house. It reads, "I am a reflection of the One who loves me most, created in His image on purpose. I'm supposed to be me and no one else could ever take my place. After all, I was made in the image of God."
We put vocabulary aside and I showed Austin what the Bible says about our purpose and potential as well as the tools at our disposal. And of course I reminded him that the greatest tool God ever gave us was duct tape. Oh wait, no. I meant to say prayer. Yes, prayer. But hey, what would happen if we prayed for duct tape?!
You may think this is a little twisted, but our bedtime prayer that night went something like this: "Lord, while Austin's sleeping, please shove a bunch of duct tape in his ears so all these vocabulary words he's been studying will stick and not fall out on his pillow."
So this morning when he woke up, I sat on the edge of his bed while we talked for a bit. Then as I was walking out of his room, I said "encounter." "E-N-C-O-U-N-T-E-R. It means a chance meeting; to meet unexpectedly; a battle or fight." I spun around and locked eyes with him, a proud smile evident on my face. "Good! What about indignant?" Again, he immediately spelled and defined it as if he were reading from the book. In rapid-fire succession, he proceeded to spell and define all 15 words without the slightest hesitation or error! At this point, he was sitting bolt upright on his bed with a wide-eyed look of surprise, excitement, pride, all mixed together.
He let out a short laugh, not believing what had just happened. I stepped forward, pointed to his ear and said, "Duct tape!"
I pray almost every day that God would be real and personal in my son's life. I don't just want Austin to know about God, I want him to truly know God. I want him to develop a friendship - serious at times, silly at others, yet always respectful, honest and attentive. That God would respond to a silly prayer in such a real way shows us that He wants the same thing. After all, we are a reflection of Him who loves us most!
Now Lord, please duct tape this into our heads that we would never forget!