Be Bold

I spent yesterday with two words on my mind: “Be Bold”.  As I received those words, yesterday, I realized that two weeks from now, we will be waking up in Uganda to start our 6 month mission there.  With the word “Bold” coming to mind, I had to think of a story.

It started out as a day like any other in the life of a two year old, watching videos, playing with toy cars, chasing his dog, but things were soon to change.  Because it was on this day, that while eating lunch, this two year old child got a piece of sandwich stuck in his throat.  For his mom, the next thirty minutes were a blur of screaming, frantic calls, Heimlich blows, and earnest prayers.  A young mother saw her son’s fear-filled eyes grow dim and there was nothing she could do.

Paramedics took this young boy to Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City.  There his lifeless body was accepted by a cocky young doctor eager to show off some of his recently learned skills.  Despite the young physician’s and staff’s efforts, they could not revive this child. 

When the mom arrived, alone, at the hospital, this doctor had to explain to her the futility of his efforts.  He then stood with tears in his eyes and a hole in his heart as this young mother sat, by herself, and rocked her lifeless child.  Back and forth, back and forth, and back again for what seemed like hours.  The doctor wondered if he could ever stop rocking if this was his child.  He also, despite all of his training, did not know how to help this lady.  This mother seemed to know that when she put down the child and stood up that she would have to “stand alone”.

The physician in this story is me in 1996, as a resident in Oklahoma City.  I regret not being bold in this situation.  Just think of how God could have used me to minister to and witness to this young girl.  I could have offered a kind word of encouragement.  I could have offered a hug of condolence.  I could have rallied a group of ladies from our church to help her through this time.  I could have said a prayer with her asking God to give her wisdom and courage.  Instead, I did nothing.

God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity, so why do I default to this so easily?  He created us to be “different”.  He called us to be “radical”.  There is a quote from the movie, “What a girl wants”, that says: Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?

I know that God has called our family to go to Uganda and I know that He is telling me to be bold.   I don’t know what He has in store for us there, but I am so excited to find out.  I was prepared to tell you that I am going to “try” to be bold while we are on this Great Adventure.  But I remember the words of the great Jedi philosopher Yoda when he said: “Do or do not.  There is no TRY”

A part of “Jesus Calling”, by Sarah Young, today says “If you believe that I (God) am sovereign over every aspect of your life, it is possible to trust me in all situations.  Don’t waste energy regretting the way things are or thinking about what might have been.  Start at the present moment – accepting things exactly as they are – and search for My way in the midst of those circumstances”.

I plan to be Bold.  I will stand out for Christ!  Where do you need courage today?

Jay