The year was 1964 a nine-year-old girl from Columbia, South America wrote a letter. She placed it in an envelope but put no stamp and even worse she never put an address, she did, however, write something on the envelope. Miraculously five days later the letter arrived at 28 Hyde Park Gate, London. A secretary opened it and handed it to a ninety-year-old man, who smiled. The envelope read, “To the greatest man in the world.”
The ninety-year-old man was none other than Winston Churchill! But what most people don’t know is the backend of the story.
Winston’s father was Sir Randolph Churchill, he thoroughly disliked his son, considered him mentally unfit, sent him at an early age to boarding school and never once visited him. Young Winston would write letters begging his father to come, but he never did. At the time it was not known but later discovered that his father had a brain disease that affected his judgment. Upon finishing school, Winston’s father told him to join the army because he was too stupid to do anything else.
In spite of all this Winston Churchill rose above it! He could have filled his heart with bitterness and hate, but instead, he named his son after his father. Just like the story of the man in Luke 6:6-10 who had a withered hand, instead of Jesus allowing him to feel self-pity for his condition he told him to Get up and Stand up! He told him to rise above it.
Download my series on “I Dare You” it will fill you with inspiration and determination to go forward and to Rise Above It!
-Dr. Rob Carman, Is the founder of Victory World Missions, a prolific author, church planter and well-know conference speaker. www.robcarman.com