Can I just say that if I were ever to become a stalker, Byron might be the one I'd pick to stalk...because he is FABULOUS. And I'm gonna become a one woman cheering section praying that somehow, someway this man becomes the next anchor for ABC News. How desperately we need men and women of faith and strong values and character in positions of power and influence in this country...and especially the bully pulpit of the media.
Yeah, yeah, I know some other guy got the job after Diane Sawyer. I'm sure he's a fine fellow...but Byron...he is THE man. (Well, that is, after my husband, of course, but Richard has no plans as of right now for network television.) Seriously, can't we pray that (for Byron, that is)?
If we're going to make a difference in this nation and world, it has to start one person at a time. One person making a difference in their school. One person making a difference in their neighborhood. One person making a difference in their office. One person making a difference in their community. And maybe one person making a difference in the network news...or the playgroup...or the grocery store.
Ahem. Somehow I got a bit off topic here. How unusual. There are so many thoughts rattling in my head, but can I recommend his book--Step out on Nothing. I read it several years ago and then just reread it again for this meeting. I loved it even more the second time than the first.
I came away thinking, "Our God is amazing." And He is.
But one quote I won't forget. Byron shared a remarkable story about how he was able to ask Nelson Mandela a question. He'd been assigned to stakeout the Boston hotel where Mandela was staying several years ago in hopes of landing a question or two as Mandela came or went. Unfortunately, Byron was assigned the graveyard shift--from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Not exactly the plum time for landing an interview!
Byron said he was mad as fire (my slight paraphrase of his words here--not quite how he put it!). Here was this old man--he certainly wasn't going to be coming or going late at night, so Byron figured somebody at the network had it out for him. No way he'd see Mandela that night.
Along about 4:30 a.m his crew wanted some coffee, so Byron volunteered to go search the neighborhood to find some for them.
And our God of sovereignty was about to go to work.
Byron still muttering and fuming over his crummy, dead-end assignment, began walking, looking for coffee. Suddenly, in the darkened streets, he noticed an older black man in a sweat suit walking up ahead of him. Now this was apparently quite an unusual sight inBoston, so Byron sped up a bit to check out this man...
And yes, you guessed it (well, maybe you didn't)--it was Mandela. Apparently ever since his days in prison, Mandela had been an avid exerciser. Doing 100 push-ups, 200 sit-ups, 200 squats and walking an hour every day. Geez--no more complaining in my core class.
Byron caught up with him; they shook hands and talked, and of course, Mandela was the gentleman you would expect. Byron eventually was able to ask him "Sir I do not want to bother you, but could you tell me [my paraphrase again] with all you have been through, could you tell me one thing that you know for sure?"
Mandela responded that the one thing that he knew for sure was this: "Good and evil are constantly at war...and good men must choose."
I will not forget that.
Oh Father, we sometimes forget that this world we live in is not a playground but a battleground. So much suffering. So much disease. So much evil. So much injustice.
But towering over it all is the gigantic figure of our Savior and His cross. The One who conquered sin and death...for all time...for all people who choose to come to Him by faith. We know the end of the story and one glorious day our Redeemer and Sustainer will reign in glory forever.
Yet until that wondrous day, as long as we breathe this earth's atmosphere, there will be battles. Daily battles. Hard battles. Public battles. Private battles. Battles between selfishness and selflessness. Battles between pride and humility. Battles between apathy and empathy. Battles between sitting on the sidelines and diving in and making a difference. Battles between good and evil.
And we all must choose. Oh Father, give us wisdom to choose wisely, to choose courageously, and to choose rightly.
One more thing. Pamela asked Byron how he would answer that same question, and he immediately responded, "The one thing I know for sure is that God is good. God is good, no matter what is going on. Even if we can 't see it in the moment."
Mercy, I could go on and on and on. So many wonderful stories. So much wisdom. So many reminders of God's amazing sovereignty. But the bottom line: God calls for us to make a difference in the lives of others. We are put here for a purpose--to love God and glorify His great name...and to love others. And that means daily choosing to engage in the war between good and evil.
Help us Father to be the "good men who choose."
To God be the glory.
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