Character Profile: Elijah's Courage, Part 4
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, 'Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.' And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, 'Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.' - 1 Kings 17:10-11 (NKJV)
Before we leave the life of Elijah, I want us to notice something subtle, yet significant, about him. Keep in mind that God had just sent him to a widow in Zarephath so that she could provide for his needs. It took some courage to do this because in those days widows had a hard time taking care of themselves much less an able-bodied stranger. But God had commanded Elijah to go to her and ask her for bread and water, and he obeyed.
Did you notice how he presented his needs to her? He didn't say, Thus saith the Lord, 'Get me some water, get me some bread.' No, instead, Elijah showed her respect by using his manners. He said, 'Please.' It may sound elementary, but most of the more important lessons in life are. The fact is, not everyone will take kindly to what we have to say as we exercise a little boldness on God's behalf. But if we know they won't take kindly to what we say, we should say it kindly.
My point is simply this: in our acts of courage, we still need to show some respect just like Elijah did. If we don't, chances are that it will only enflame the situation and our boldness will be perceived as brashness. Not everyone will support or agree with us, but that doesn't mean they can't respect us. Shame on us if we give them a reason to.
A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NKJV)
DIG - What do we need to take away from Elijah's example?
DISCOVER - When has someone's lack of respect totally turned you off to what he or she was trying to tell you?
DISPLAY - Ask a trusted brother or sister in Christ to give you some constructive criticism on how you can be a more respectful communicator.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
At the age of 24, Bob Coy left a coveted position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, Bob and his wife, Diane, moved to Fort Lauderdale and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. As senior pastor, he has become well known for his unique style in expounding the Scriptures, making them come alive and relate to those of us living in the 21st century. His teaching style emphasizes the believer's "life application" of the highest standards of God's truth while his delivery captures the loving heart of God's Spirit.
Pastor Bob has had the rare privilege of watching God's miraculous hand move in the individual lives of those in the fellowship as well as the corporate body as a whole. From the first meeting in a living room with four in attendance, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale has now become home to over 17,000 men and women from the tri-county area, and ranks as the eighth largest church in the country. Though many have tried to attribute its rapid growth to numerous reasons, no one is more surprised by the phenomenon than Pastor Bob, who gives total credit and all the glory to God alone.
Visit the Active Word website at: http://www.activeword.org/
https://www.activeword.org/offer.cfm?product_id=21