Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday June 24, 2009

I read again this morning the story behind the story. All stories have such a largely untold story. Being of unusually low IQ and even lower ability, I read everything I can that might in some way encourage me to keep on reaching for the so called brass ring.

Today's heroine only lived 49 years and it was due to an accident and the onset of arthritis that her greatness was released. At the time she worked for a once a week supplement to a large Southern newspaper and while going about her work broke her ankle. The break was projected to take a long time to heal due to the arthritis. To comfort her and perhaps tease, her husband gave her a ream of paper and told her to write a book. Being a Southern girl who was taught to obey her hubby she did just that. Her reward for obeying hubby continues long after her death, so far her book has sold 30 million copies, still selling 250,000 copies annually and the movie has sold worldwide to the tune of $3.8 billion. The lead character from her book was called "Pansy" and prior to publication was changed. Margaret Mitchell only wrote one book, but what a book!

"Pansy" was changed to Scarlett, Scarlett O'Hara and we now live in a land where the majority of people haven't read the book or watched the movie "Gone With The Wind."

For years I have drawn new courage from Scarlett's statement when it is obvious that the valiant effort to stave off the Army of Northern Aggression is failing, the people of the Old South are starving and "it's" just about over:

"As God is my witness! They're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk."

Sometimes in the really tough part of living it is necessary to affirm from the depths of your spirit that you are tougher than the tough things of life and keep on trucking.

The youngest apostle, John, has long been a source of inspiration and grit to me in what has become, not according to my plan, but nonetheless a life of turmoil, of often bitter tears and one that needs to refuel on mainline courage from Jesus. John wrote in John 16:33:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Years ago a friend asked me; "What is the main practical truth taught in the Bible?" I simply stated, "Christ is bigger than the circumstances of our life and the words of Jesus to dead Lazarus are the proof."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit.

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