At times, God calls us to embark
on ventures, which make us feel as if we’re swimming upstream, and everyone else is
going the other way.
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| photo used by permission of my soon-to-be wildlife biologist son |
Without someone coming alongside, it’s
hard to continue.
Thomas Edison did this for Henry Ford. Young
Ford had grown discouraged with his idea of the automobile when he met Thomas
Edison. On learning of Ford’s invention, Edison said, “Young
man,” he said, “that’s the thing! You have it! Your car is self contained and
carries its own power plant.”
This encouragement gave
Ford the momentum he needed to move forward, and as they say, the rest is
history.
Paul had his Barnabas (Acts
9:26-27), Moses had his Aaron and Hur (Exodus 17:10-13), and we too, need a
friend or friends who will encourage and stand with us when the current is strong against us.
The really good news is
there’s someone who’s always with us. “One who has
unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but
there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus is
that one who is closer than any earthly relation can ever be. Oh, how grateful
I am for all my wonderful friends, but I’m filled with awe over that one,
Jesus.
So, if we know
someone who’s swimming against the current, let’s be a Barnabas, today. Who
knows what may unfold because of it.
Sometime this weekend, check
out wonderful pictures and a touching account of the friendship between Ford and Edison here.