Daily Power #155

“The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Ex. 14:14 NASB)

I learned how to fight in the second grade. When I walked home from school one day, I became the school bully’s latest target. Technically, Bo Talbot was only one year older than I was, but I suspected his parents kept him out of school for a few years to have him professionally molded by UFC trainers.

Bo grabbed my shirt with one hand, drew his hand back in a fist, and snarled, “Groeschel, are you gay?”

Now, since the year was 1975 and I was only eight years old, I wasn’t really sure what “gay” meant, so I stammered, “I-I-I’m not sure. C-C-Can I get back to you tomorrow?”

Truth can be a dazzling weapon. Bo was visibly startled and said, “Well, okay. But you better tell me tomorrow!” Crisis averted—at least until the next day.

At home I didn’t tell my mom about my run-in with Bo, but I did ask, “What does ‘gay’ mean?”

“Honey,” she said calmly, “Gay just means . . . happy.”

That made sense to my naïve second-grade mind, even if it seemed like a strange question for a bully like Bo to ask. The next day after school, I found myself cornered by Bo once again. Like actors resuming our roles, he asked the same fateful question: “Craig, are you gay?”

I just grinned broadly, proud to know how to answer. “Sure am. Been gay my whole life. I’m probably the gayest guy you’ve ever met!”

I don’t remember much after that. My very first fight, and I didn’t even get a punch in. Being beaten up would have been bad enough. Being beaten up for being “happy” was infinitely worse.

Are you in a spiritual battle? Thankfully, you don’t have to fight alone. The Lord will fight for you.

Power Lift

Dear God, thank you for empowering me to fight the battles before me today.