Step up, Step Out!
"Sometimes we need to step up to the challenge and step
out in faith!" he said.
I had no idea what he was doing. I happened to walk in and
found him standing there like that, just about a foot off
the ground. I believe he was a little embarrassed at first,
but he took the time to explain it to me.
"I have some decisions to make," he said.
"Okay, but what were you doing?" I asked.
"I was doing what my grandfather taught me to do."
"Look like a fool?" I asked.
He laughed a little, shook his head and told me this great
story.
"When I a just a little boy, my grandparents had to help
raise me. Mom worked full time and was going to school at
night to become a nurse. My father had died just after I was
born. So my grandfather took on the role of the man in my
life," he said.
I watched his face as he got further into this story. It
glowed with pride and satisfaction. It appeared that his
grandfather did a good job, for my friend smiled through
most of our conversation.
"Grandfather made this stool for me so I could reach things
on the counter and watch him in his workshop as he worked
with wood. Growing up was a challenge. In case you haven't
noticed I'm not very tall, only 5 foot 8. Not that it's all
that short, but it bothered me even when I was young.
The stool represented hope.
Whenever I was faced with big decisions, whenever I was
feeling low, whenever I felt afraid, he'd pull out the stool
and place it in front of me.
He'd say, 'Sometimes we need to step up to the challenge and
step out in faith!'
It made me feel like I could accomplish anything."
"So even as an adult...?" I began to ask.
"Yes, yes...even as an adult I still use it. I know it's
silly. I know I must look foolish standing here like this.
But..." he said.
"Not at all, my friend," I said. "When people ask me
questions about a problem they are having, I always tell
them to try to see the challenge from a different
perspective. It's difficult to remove yourself from a
problem. But a simple thing like this can help. To rise
above it all gives you a new view and suddenly the challenge
doesn't seem so big."
"So, I don't look foolish?" he asked me.
"Well, maybe a little. But sometimes faith requires you to
appear the fool in eyes of those who have no faith. What
they see at first as foolish becomes a sign of strength they
long for over time. Your grandfather was right," I said.
Then moving him off the stool, I took his place and
said..."Sometimes we need to step up to the challenge and
step out in faith!"
Bob Perks Bob@BobPerks.com