All The Breaks?

In the heat of the summer, or as our children and youth might call it — summer break, let us

think about those who seem to get all the breaks. Do you have any friends or acquaint-

ances whom you believe “get all the breaks?” It sure seems like some people just arbitrarily

have all the pieces of life fall easily together. We might wonder, at least subliminally, if not

overtly, why does he/she get all the breaks?

So here is a true story about one person's journey getting all the breaks:

When he was seven years old, his family was forced out of their home on a legal techni-

cality, and he had to work to help support them. At age nine, his mother died. At twen-

ty-two, he lost his job as a store clerk. He wanted to go to law school, but his education

wasn't good enough. At twenty- three, he went into debt to become a partner in a small

store. At twenty-six, his business partner died, leaving him a huge debt that took years

to repay. At twenty-eight, after courting a girl for four years, he asked her to marry

him. She said no. At thirty-seven, on his third try, he was elected to Congress, but two

years later, he failed to be reelected. At forty-one, his four-year-old son died. At forty-

five, he ran for the Senate and lost. At forty-seven, he failed as the vice-presidential

candidate. At forty-nine, he ran for the Senate again and lost. At fifty-one, he was

elected president of the United States. His name was Abraham Lincoln, a man many

consider the greatest leader the country ever had. Some people get all the breaks!

So, was Lincoln’s life governed by easy breaks? Why do you think some keep on keeping on

while others give up so quickly? Is it helpful to have encouragers along the way when we do not get all the breaks? Who has been an encourager to you? How do you let Jesus encourage you?

Did Jesus get all the breaks?

Did the Apostles get all the breaks?

What great person, in the history of our world, got all the breaks?

Meditate on what Jesus said as he sent his disciples out to share the good news. The context of this story is important. The disciples were in the initial stages of learning to follow the rhythm of Christ (before they were anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit), early in their following Jesus.

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise

as serpents and innocent as doves. and you will be dragged before gover-

nors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles.

When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what

you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it

is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 10:16, 18-20, 24-33 NRSV

Because of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, we have all the breaks that we need! We are blessed, so be a blessing no matter what the circumstances — even in the heat of life! I leave you with this gift from Jesus:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” — John 14:27 NRSV