Dave's Deep Thoughts

Here's Pastor Dave McDowell's weekly devotional that he sends out to members of his church. Dave is my brother and serves as the Music Minister at Stewartstown UMC in PA.

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His mother was only 16 when his mother gave birth to him. As a single mom, she began to raise this child on the long journey to becoming a man. The challenges were many. Eventually she married and the boy had a stepfather. They taught him how to do most things a boy wants to do, Things like riding a bike and throwing a football As he grew up, he was taught to believe that there was nothing that he couldn't accomplish.

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The both had visions of one day becoming an NFL football player. He played for his junior high team. He wasn't a "big" kid, and at first the opponents rolled over him. He soon learned how to hold his own, and instead, he became the one who did most of the tackling. By 9th grade, he became interested in wrestling. He was a quick learner, and although he wasn't very tall, he had all the height he needed if one was measuring determination. He had such a good high school career that he was eventually recruited as a scholarship athlete by a major college. In his sophomore and junior seasons, he won his league title as the best wrestler at 128 pounds. But that wasn't the end. In his senior season, he won the national title at 128 lbs and was voted the tournament's most outstanding wrestler.

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Oh, and one other thing..... He was born without a right leg. His mother cried when he was born. There was no warning that her baby would be born with the limb. Tests after the birth revealed no reasons for the "abnormality". But this young man would lead a life without excuses. I think that is the way God wanted me, he would say, He may not have had a right leg, but he was given a heart twice the size of most anyone else.

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One time during his high school career, his wrestling team had wrestled so poorly in a match, the coach told the team to run laps carrying 20 lb sandbags. He expected everyone to do it.... everyone, except of course his one-legged wrestler. Not to be. The 128 pound wrestler, picked up a sandbag and began to hop with it before falling. He picked up the bag again..... in a few hops, he fell to the floor again. He repeated the act over and over again until all of his teammates had finished their laps. The coach later commented that during the motivation drill, he had to look away because it was too hard to watch. But at the same time, it was one of the most inspirational acts he had ever witnessed.

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Following matches (most of which he won) grown men would come up to him with tears in their eyes. It was no surprise that his was given the nickname, "Braveheart" I think that is the way God wanted me, he would say, opening a can of theological worms, regarding the will of God. But he knew God loved him. And he loved God in return, and that's all that mattered.

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Following his national championship match, he announced that his wrestling career was over. He was going to begin a career as a motivational speaker. He wanted to tell young people his story, to let them no that no matter what their life circumstances, anything can be overcome when God is in your life. Did God make him that way? Did God allow him to be born that way? It's not the point.

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The gospel of John accounts the story of Jesus passing by a man born blind. from birth. The disciples asked a logical question.... who had sinned, the parents or the man that he should be born blind? Jesus said neither, but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3) The tragic tale of a person born blind, becomes a surreal story of everyone else's spiritual blindness.

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What we know is that for believers, with God all things are possible, and with God, all circumstances are opportunities for God's glory to be made known. So the next time you are having a pity party about your life circumstances, take a look at your right leg, then see if you would rather get reservations at God's party instead. Trust God, the food at His party will taste much better.

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For more info on this young man, google Anthony Robles.

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