The Banana Peel at the Starting Line
- on 09.11.09
- Bible, Family, Life Skills, Uncategorized
- 3 Comments
by Sabrina Justison
The runner is in place.
Her shoes are double-knotted, her muscles stretched and warm, her body hydrated. She is wearing her favorite color of spandex, and her ponytail feels secure. Every muscle tensed, she waits for the sound of the starter pistol.
But just as that pistol fires, some troublemaking knucklehead tosses a banana peel in front of her feet. If she slips on her way out of the gate, the race is lost. Even if she gets back on her feet and finishes, there’s no chance she will win.
As we get ready to start a new school year, we are mentally running the whole race ahead of time, thinking through the turns in the track and preparing for the spots we know will tax our reserves of energy and diligence.
But don’t forget to notice that some knucklehead is, indeed, tossing a banana peel right in front of the starting line! If the enemy can take us down right at the start of the race, he figures he owns the track.
Whenever I begin a new endeavor, I find that I am hit hard with something yucky right at the starting line. It throws my focus out the window if I let it. If the enemy can distract or discourage me right at the start, he’s wrecked me.
So I’m not letting him. I’ve got my handy-dandy Banana Peel Blower in hand (it’s kind of like a leaf blower, only much more powerful. It’s also purple, but yours can be whatever color you want it to be.). It’s powered by the Word of God and the testimony of my own mouth. When I shout out, “You are God and I am not, and that’s a fabulous thing!” those banana peels blow out of my path, and I am ready to run.
What banana peel has some troublemaking knucklehead thrown into your path at the starting line? Is it insecurity, fear, frustration, illness, financial stress? Don’t allow it to stay in your path. God is in charge; read the proof of that in His Word, and speak it with confidence to yourself and everyone around you. He has called you to run this race, to homeschool another year, and He goes ahead of you to make the crooked places straight and the rough places plane.
On your mark, get set, GO!
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Sabrina is Mt Sophia’s drama, Latin, and lit teacher. She has the gift of contagious creativity.
She also is known to infect those around her with the idea that “God is God and I am not”.
Good thing, eh?
Thank goodness that “God is God and I am not” and I may never look at a banana peel the same again. Matter of fact, when we make our next batch of banana smoothies we just might be discussing that “banana peel blower” and what color each of ours is!
Better make sure we carry the banana peel blower along – Satan doesn’t give up just because we started strong.