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I Am Not Ashamed
I am not ashamed of my eyes, for these are the eyes the LORD has given me to
see HIS creation and HIS children.
I am not ashamed of my ears, for these are the ears the LORD had given me to
hear the sounds of HIS creation, HIS truth, and HIS word.
I am not ashamed of my mouth, for it is the mouth the LORD has given me to
spread HIS love to others.
I am not ashamed of my hands, for these are the hands the LORD has given me
to do HIS work.
I am not ashamed of my arms, for these are the arms the LORD has given me to
love others with and to hold and comfort with.
I am not ashamed of my legs, for these are the legs that the LORD has given
me to walk in HIS ways.
I am not ashamed of who I am, because this is the body the LORD has given me
to do HIS work while I’m here. If I am ashamed it should be only because of
the way that I use the tools that were given me, and that is always
changeable. We can change it to be something we are proud of and not ashamed
of.
©1998 Rebecca (WhtDove)
Christian Prison, A
Near the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, is a remarkable facility.
Twenty years ago the Brazilian government turned a prison over to two
Christians. The institution was renamed Humaita, and the plan was to run it
on Christian principles. With the exception of two full-time staff, all the
work is done by inmates. Families outside the prison adopt an inmate to work
with during and after his term. Chuck Colson visited the prison and made this
report:
‘When I visited Humaita I found the inmates smiling- particularly the
murderer who held the keys, opened the gates and let me in. Wherever I walked
I saw men at peace. I saw clean living areas, people working industriously.
The walls were decorated with Biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs…My
guide escorted me to the notorious prison cell once used for torture. Today,
he told me, that block houses only a single inmate. As we reached the end of
a long concrete corridor and he put the key in the lock, he paused and asked,
“Are you sure you want to go in?”
“Of course,” I replied impatiently, “I’ve been in isolation cells all over
the world.” Slowly he swung open the massive door, and I saw the prisoner in
that punishment cell: a crucifix, beautifully carved by the Humaita
inmates-the prisoner Jesus, hanging on a cross.
“He’s doing time for the rest of us,” my guide said softly.’”
–Max Lucado
Slow Down
Author Unknown
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was
traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in
his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down
when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but
a brick sailed out and “WHUMP”-it smashed into the Jag’s shiny black side
door! SCREECH…!!!! Brakes slammed!
Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot
from where the brick had been thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a
parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you?
Just what the heck are you doing?” Building up a head of steam, he went on.
“That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money.
Why did you throw it?”
“Please, mister, please…I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” pleaded
the youngster. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” Tears were
dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my
brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his
wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.”
Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, “Would you please help me get him back
into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.” Moved beyond
words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the
wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts,
checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the
younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE
- a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He
kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has
to throw a brick at him to get his attention..
It’s kind of stretching it, but sometimes in life we have it good and forget
about God. We need to continue to praise him and look to him during the good
times in life. Let us “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
Special thanks to Kelly Carrier