Hope for a New Month

A 10 - year -old boy felt as though he
had lost his identity when he lost his left
arm in a devastating car accident .
After six months of adjusting to his
handicap, he decided to study judo
despite the fact that he had only one
arm .



The boy began lessons with an old
Japanese judo master . The boy was
doing well , so he couldn' t understand
why , after three months of training , the
master had taught him only one move .
" Sensei , " the boy finally said ,
" Shouldn' t I b. . . e learning more
moves?"
" This is the only move you know, but this
is the only move you' ll ever need to
know, " the sensei replied . Not quite
understanding , but believing in his
teacher, the boy kept training .
Several months later, the sensei took the
boy to his first tournament. Surprising
himself, the boy easily won his first two
matches . The third match proved to be
more difficult, but after some time, his
opponent became impatient and
charged; the boy deftly used his one
move to win the match .
Still amazed by his success , the boy was
now in the finals . This time, his
opponent was bigger , stronger , and
more experienced. For a while , the boy
appeared to be overmatched . Concerned
that the boy might get hurt , the referee
called a time- out. He was about to stop
the match when the sensei intervened .
" No , " the sensei insisted , " Let him
continue. "
Soon after the match resumed, his
opponent made a critical mistake : he
dropped his guard . Instantly , the boy
used his move to pin him . The boy had
won the match and the tournament. He
was the champion. On the way home , the
boy and the sensei reviewed every move
in each and every match .
Then the boy summoned the courage to
ask what was really on his mind:
" Sensei , how did I win the tournament
with only one move ?"
" You won for two reasons, " the sensei
answered . " First , you' ve almost
mastered one of the most difficult
throws in all of judo . And second, the
only known defense for that move is for
your opponent to grab your left arm . "
The boy ' s biggest weakness had become
his biggest strength !
Paul knew that God will take our biggest
weakness and use it to show His
strength .
" But he said to me , " My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness . " Therefore I will
boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses , so that Christ ' s power may
rest on me . [10 ] That is why , for
Christ' s sake , I delight in weaknesses ,
in insults, in hardships , in persecutions ,
in difficulties . For when I am weak,
then I am strong . (2 Cor. 12 :9 -10 )

Have a fabulous February