Cornerstone

2 Cor 11:22-33 (30)

Some days I could not remember no matter how hard I tried. I will never forget one particular day, however. I was a high school senior at Mt. Zion Bible School. Mary Kimbrough and I stood on the campus behind the boys dorm. I held the brand new book that she had written in my hands. It was titled, “His Way With Me.” I had just asked her to autograph the book and now I watched as she took the pen in knurled hands. The crooked fingers struggled to clutch the pen. As a missionary to India and later Jamaica, she suffered many physical afflictions. Even though this was the case she did not give up or give in. Her flesh may have been weak but her spirit was strong. As she wrote she cheerful and optimistically spoke of her work for the Lord as a missionary. She encouraged me to serve God faithfully. She didn’t say, “Serve even if you hurt,” but she was a living example of one who did not complain as she faithfully gave every ounce of her energy for the service of her Lord. “God, please teach me to follow examples like this in faithfulness! When I don’t feel good help me to ignore this and continue to do what is needed that others might be able to hear the message that Jesus saves.”

Dr. Gayle Woods

Jas. 3:13-18 (17)

I just saw holiness walking in shoe leather. An unhappy but holy student just left my office.

He came to contest a decision an employee had made. As I listened to the explanation and request, the matter seemed to be reasonable. I wondered at the rigid inflexibility of my employee. I turned to the section of the Student Handbook in question.

As I read I noticed two things: First, the specific situation which had been described differed from the focus of the rule. Secondly, I noticed that the employee was given the authority to make a judgment in cases that were not covered completely by the list of rules. This is what the employee had done. Although the request of the student seemed reasonable to me, the employee had made a judgment following the principles in the guideline that could not be faulted.

I explained this to the student. I could clearly see disappointment in his eyes. But then he pleased me. I was extremely proud of his response. He said, “Well, I will obey the rules.” His attitude and actions exemplified the Christ that he served.

For holiness to be liveable it must be practical. That is why it is so easy to follow the direction of the Word of God and the example of our Lord.

Dr. Gayle Woods