Inspirational Articles
by
Bonnie Wheat
Bonnie Wheat is a pastor's wife, author, and Christian counselor. A former teacher, Bonnie has a Ph.D. in psychology and Christian counseling. She is the author of "God Gives a Song: Walking with God through a Crisis." She has also written for several publications including "Mature Living," "Texas Baptist," "The Upper Room," and a Guidepost devotional series. Bonnie writes a weekly article for the church page of her local newspaper, "The Big Spring Herald." She and her husband, Dwayne, live in Big Spring, Texas where they minister at Berea Baptist Church.
You may contact her at:
101 Washington Blvd., Big Spring, TX 79720
Tel. 915-714-4306 • E-mail her at brwheat@suddenlink.net
Advice from a Giraffe
By Bonnie Wheat
OGood advice often comes from strange places. My friend and relative Peggy, an avid collector of all-things-giraffe, is now getting advice from her long-necked friends. For some time now, Peggy has had giraffe pictures on her walls, giraffe pillows on her couch, and giraffe rugs on her floors. Any level surface in her house is a display ledge for a ceramic, metal, wooden, or resin giraffe. Since her fondness for giraffes has become known, the spotted replicas tend to migrate to her front door.
Since Peggy started attracting giraffes, her collection has spread from her kitchen and living room to her closet. Her wardrobe includes multiple giraffe-print garments and giraffe-adorned necklaces, bracelets, and pins. They have become her logo – her brand.
When I saw Peggy at a family reunion not long ago, she was wearing a new T-shirt that her grandchildren had given her. It featured some good advice from a giraffe. I don’t remember all of the long-legged fellow’s words of admonition, but they sounded equally applicable for tall folks and those of us who are vertically challenged. The giraffe’s advice included:
• Stand up straight.
• Don’t be afraid to stick your neck out.
• Reach for the leaves at the top of the tree.
• Hold your head up high.
All of that lofty advice reminds me of something that the apostle Paul said: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 NASB).
In this day when Christians are being ridiculed for their faith, maybe we should all stand a little straighter, stretch our faith a little farther, and hold our heads up higher. Instead of acting ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, maybe we should be sticking our necks out more often. That’s good advice, even if it did come from a giraffe.
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