My subject this morning is LIVING WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
This is a question that inspires answers like this: Don’t swear,
don’t drink, don’t lie, steal, dance, smoke and many
others. Good as these are there still seems to be something
missing. I think one good goal would be to have the courage of your
convictions.
When Teddy Roosevelt spent some time in the North Dakota Badlands regaining his health, he built a boat and painted it red. He with a
helper went up the ‘Muddy’ exploring. One night the boat
was stolen. They hastily made a raft and floated down the River
looking for the red boat. One evening they saw it on the bank. They
circled the camp and came in from the rear surprising the thief and
covering him with a gun. The rule of the land in that day was the
gun. Normally the man would have been shot there and then. However,
Roosevelt believed every man should have a fair trial. He stayed
awake and covered the man with a gun for two nights and a day and a
half taking him to Medora, N. Dak., where he turned him over to the
law. The thief was sent to Levenworth and while there he wrote
Roosevelt a letter thanking him for not shooting him.
Roosevelt’s Biographer noted that this so impressed the
neighborhood that all culprits were given a fair trial after that.
Roosevelt never knew the impression he had made on the people.
Roosevelt had lived his convictions.
John Brown had an idea about the situation in our country at
that time and how it could be righted. He set out to do it in his
way. He lost but he never deviated from his idea and method. I have
never heard anyone agree with old John. However, all admire that he
had the courage of his convictions. We sing ‘His soul goes
marching on’ and that is the reason.
Stephen of the Bible stood for his convictions and was stoned to
death because of it. Saul standing by watched his death and was so
impressed that he said “That man has something I do not
have” and became a changed man. Thus Stephen gave the World the
greatest Missionary Preacher the World has ever had, Paul.
Jesus said to his disciples, “I must go up to
Jerusalem.” They said, “Don’t go for it will mean
certain death.” He said, “I must do my Father’s
will.” He did go and the prophecy of the Disciples came true.
On the Cross He said, “It is finished.” He stood by his
convictions and in it he has changed this old world more than
anything else that has ever happened. The courage of your
convictions is a big factor in your life.
