[Many true stories and quotations improve over time, as wordsmiths stretch the boundaries of poetic license. Below, based on true events, is the conflated story of Charles Blondin, who performed daring acts on a tightrope in the late 1800s.]
What Does Faith Look Like?
Many years ago, the story goes, a man named Blondin strung a tightrope across Niagara Falls and proceeded to traverse the raging waters. A crowd gathered as he successfully made his way back to his starting place.
"Who here believes I can cross over Niagara Falls again, but this time pushing a wheelbarrow?"
The exhilarated crowd began shouting, "We believe, we believe!" And sure enough, Blondin steered the wheelbarrow successfully across The Falls and back, to the riotous applause of the onlookers!
"Who here believes I can cross over Niagara Falls a 3rd time, but this time with a man in the wheelbarrow?"
The crowd could barely control their enthusiasm, so spectacular were the achievements of this death-defying aerialist. "We believe! We believe!" they roared, all the louder.
Blondin replied, "Ok, then who will be my first volunteer in the wheelbarrow?"
Silence.
Only the background splash and splatter of falling water.
Faith is getting in the wheelbarrow, not merely shouting, "I believe!"
When was the last time you were in God's Wheelbarrow? When was the last time you took a risk for Him? Perhaps today should be that day? I know I'm in God's wheelbarrow right now, as we trust Him with our future. Care to join me?
I can hear the roaring spray of God's "Niagara Falls." It's stupendous! Yee-haa!