Thankful

I know that by now most of you have seen on the news "the man with the golden voice", Ted Williams, a former drug addict, alcoholic father of nine that found his way into fame this week.  Last week, he was disheveled and unkempt holding a sign in the highway median, hoping for a few extra quarters, even dollars maybe, and a big break.

He was given his big break, and has several job offers from all over and from his home state of Ohio.  His mother and he were reunited, after she had given up on him because he lied and used people and drugs, in and out of rehab, and the sweet Christian lady just said she couldn't take it anymore.  That happens sometimes, we have to let go of situations we cannot fix.

Mother and son were interviewed quite extensively Friday morning on Good Morning America, and I thought the interview was in-depth, surprisingly for ABC.  Robin and George were, I think, blindsided by the wisdom of this man who once had it all and then blew it, turning away all the people who loved him, he said his kids just could NOT understand why he would throw away such a beautiful gift that was his voice.

Robin or George asked this man what would be different this time?  What had he learned from his time in the "gutter" so to speak.  I don't have exact quotes here, but basically the once-homeless man looked them straight in the eye and told them:

I REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD, I REFUSED TO BE THANKFUL.

He said that he knew God existed, knew his mother believed and yet would NOT humble himself enough to acknowledge God.  But once he had NOTHING else, he did it.

He said that is what would be different this time.

It was amazing to watch this man, with his kind and elderly mother sitting next to him, who I am sure wore her knees out praying, just sit humbly and look Robin and George in the eyes and tell them that JESUS was the one who deserved all the credit and that He would get it this time.  (Mom also told the interviewers that God and her church family were the only reason she got through it all!)

He told how he had hurt his mother, his children and did NOT deserve this chance he'd been given.

What a lesson we can take from that.  He quoted this verse on national television this morning to an audience of millions:

Proverbs 3:6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding.  And in ALL your ways, acknowledge HIM and HE will direct thy paths.

If we have learned anything from the Bible, it is redemption, and I hope that his man is sincerely repentant and redeemed.  I hope that he continues to boldly speak the truth with that beautiful voice of his.  I hope he makes his children proud and makes up for lost time with extra love.

In this world where hands are stuck out more with the "you owe me" attitude, and most seem to be out looking for what "someone will give them" and looking to government as their answer for everything, I hope they can soon learn to acknowledge God.  

How much we can use someone who's "been there" to witness to the people about the truth of the Bible, and demonstrate to a country that sorely needs to humble themselves, how real redemption can be.

For him, his mother and his children, I truly hope he can be faithful to the end, this time.  (Click on this link or the one in the above paragraph to see the whole interview.)

As I paid our bills this week, I made of point of thanking God for his faithfulness.  I want to be humble and acknowledge that He is the source of all the goodness in our lives.  Just as a parent likes to be thanked when a child is given a good gift, He likes to hear us acknowledge his gifts to us.  It's a place I can start anyway...and I only hope that soon it will completely permeate my attitude and my home and family.