Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: SPRING (09/03/20)
-
TITLE: A Sliver of Hurt | Previous Challenge Entry
By John Custer
09/09/20 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
I told the doctor that I have an infection in my left eye since it is very red and hurts. (I’m sure doctors love it when we self-diagnose the problem before they have a chance to form an opinion.)
“Well, let’s take a look. Hold still.” Holding still was a big order!
“Ouch! That hurt,” I exclaimed. Then he repositioned me. This happened several times.
“John, have you been working with blue fiberglas? You have several fibers embedded in your conjunctiva.”
“I don’t recall doing that,” I said.
“Well, I’m going to pull them out,” he told me. Then he turned to his nurse and asked her to hand him a spring. Well, he didn’t call it a spring. He actually called it a pincer, which is a fancy name for tweezers. But tweezers are actually springs, because when they are not under pressure they always return to their original position.
What happened after that was painful, but it actually made my life a lot better.
My Great Grandfather’s fifth cousin was General George Armstrong Custer. He had a very different experience with a spring…and it didn’t turn out nearly as well as my eye. It went something like this.
Custer made a name (and a reputation) for himself during the Civil War in the Union’s Calvary Division. He was conceited which may have caused him to take some risks that he otherwise might not have taken. It is rumored that he had aspirations to run for President which also could have affected his common sense.
Irregardless, he was assigned to fight the Indian Wars. On his last assignment he divided his troops into thirds and underestimated the number of the Indians. They overwhelmed him and killed every one of the men with him on the field using springs and arrows. Well, we usually call them bows and arrows, but it is the same thing. It works on the principal that when you place the arrow in the bow and pull, it exerts a lot of force behind the arrow. When you release it, the arrow is projected and the bow springs back to its original position. It is one of the oldest weapons.
Many historians have written about Custer’s Last Stand. Each has his own theory of what went wrong. The bottom line is those with the guns lost and those with the springs and arrows won.
These are only two examples of how springs have been used to impact our culture. Just as the power that resides in these two springs is helpful, so there is a greater power within us that can be even more helpful.
Acts 1:8 says, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” I like the way Paul put it in I Corinthians 2:4, “…my message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
Perhaps it would be beneficial for us to reflect on how to access the power that is within us.
Could it be that we would be more effective? It’s worth thinking about.
NIV
Non-fiction
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
