Chaplain Ronnie Cowart, Cartersville Fire Department
P. O. Box 1390, Cartersville, Georgia 30120
Contact Information:
rcowart@cityofcartersville.org
770-547-4780 404-391-6679 770-387-5635 (work)
CHAPLAIN’S MESSAGE: - NOVEMBER 2009
Making a Stand
Life is filled with many challenges each and every day some of which we meet with eagerness and some not so eager. It seems to me the toughest challenge you face is when you have to make a choice based on your personal, internal convictions and no one else seems to see it the way that you do. You may think the best thing to do is make the popular (easy external) decision to avoid criticism and conflict with everyone concerning the matter at hand to keep things smooth; but is it?. When we compromise our internal convictions we are creating a greater conflict within ourselves that will lead to problems in all of our relationships in the long run. I have found that it is not easy to go against the grain but it is necessary when the very foundation of who you are is at stake. Let’s suppose for a moment that the popular decision is the right one. How do you think that would have changed the way our Bible is written or how salvation is obtained through Christ? What about our history here in the United States? Did our greatest leaders make a stand only when it was popular? I think not. The strength of one individual to follow their own internal convictions will give the ability to others to do follow suit.
The minute that you live in now, is the only time, that you have the ability to take control of. The time to make a stand is now; tomorrow is too late and full of only intentions, without opportunity. Now is your opportunity to make the difference. You may ask; where do I start? The first step is to know who and what you are and then you can move forward. I know that I am only a sinner, saved by grace and that I can do nothing of myself. If there has been an accomplishment in my life, I have to give the credit to the one who works through me. I am not ashamed of who I am only that I could have done more, but didn’t. As firefighters we make a stand against the physical enemy that seeks to destroy our neighbor’s life and property but what do you do about the internal enemy that seeks to destroy our brothers and sisters in the Fire service family? We help our neighbor by extinguishing the fire that will physically destroy them and by giving first aid to the injured. The only way to defeat this internal enemy is to make a stand for what is right, even when it’s not popular, to protect who we are internally (the real you), and the ones you care for.
If you were told, the way that leads to destruction is a wide, paved, easy to travel highway with a lot of beautiful scenery, crowds of people to go with you on the way; and then you were told the way that leads to life is a narrow path that sometimes is rocky and tough at best to travel and not many people to go with you in that direction; which path would you choose? Would you want them to choose the same path or do you want them to choose the other? To make a stand, make the right choice for yourself first. Then lead others down the right path instead of trying to send them in a direction that you have never been in. People will follow someone who is strong enough to make the right choice and stand on it. God is the right choice and he will give you the strength to stand the same as he did with David against Goliath, Daniel in the den of lions, the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace and countless others down through history.
Matthew 7:14 “Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, few there be that find it.”
Can you show us the way?
The final words in the book of Matthew tell his stance for us;
“And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. “
