eileen and esther
Nine-year-old Eileen approached a pack of older boys in a schoolyard. They were beating an autistic student who was lying on the ground curled up in the fetal position. She asked the bullies to stop hurting the other student. The boys did stop, but only to push Eileen to the ground, where they cursed at her and stepped on her before fleeing. The local autism center later honored Eileen and said, “She defended this boy because of her courage.”
right thing, wrong reason
I was preaching one evening when a mentally ill man walked down the church aisle, slapped me in the face, pushed over the pulpit, and sent the congregation into a panic. In a protective act, a church member named Gary stepped toward the man as he lunged towards Gary and his wife.
bold as a lion
William Seeker, a 17th-century clergyman, is quoted as saying, “Another singular action of a sanctified Christian is to prefer the duty he owes God to the danger he fears from man. Christians in all ages have prized their services above their safety. ‘The wicked flee when no man [is pursuing]; but the righteous are bold as a lion.’ ”
After…
