Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
February 27, 2002 Van Ledbetter
Laying Weights Aside
One of Mark Twain's most amusing little stories is that of the "Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." The premise of the story is that they were betting on which frog could jump the farthest, and one contestant filled his opponent's frog with buckshot, rendering him, of course, unable to jump at all.
I don't know whether anything like that ever happened, or even could happen, for that matter. But I do know that a good many disciples of Christ allow themselves to carry heavy-and unnecessary-weights around which cripple their efforts to live for Him.
The inspired writer tells us in Hebrews 12.1, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Hindering weights (supplied by Satan, of course) may come in many forms. Bad attitudes toward others. Laziness. Covetousness. Quick anger. Jealousy. Pride. Dishonesty. Fear. Ignorance of the Word. Hedonism. Etc., etc.
The "sin which so easily ensnares us" is, most think, simple unbelief. And it can be the problem of all problems. But we need to remember that there are lots of weights we must throw off. And to the extent that they drag us down, we need to work on them--each and every one, prayerfully and diligently.
Van Ledbetter, De Queen, Ark.
