the power of a positive word…

dr. larry crabb, a CHRISTian counselor, and author and speaker tells of as a youngster he personally developed a thoroughly annoying and humiliating problem of stuttering. it seemed two letters were the most troublesome, l and p.

in ninth grade, he was elected president of his junior high student body and during an assembly in front of several hundred students, he was asked to come to the stage by the principle for the induction ceremony.

he said, "standing nervously in front of the squirming, bored crowed, i was told to repeat after the principle the words, 'i, larry crabb of plymouth-whitemarsh junior high school, do hearby promise...' that's how the principal said it but my version was a bit different. 'i, l l l l l larry crabb of p p p p plymouth-whitemarsh junior high school, do hereby p p p promise..."

he said, "the principal was sympathetically perplexed, my favorite english teacher wanted to cry, a few students laughed out loud, most were awkwardly amused, some felt bad for me and i died a thousand deaths. i decided right them that public speaking was not for me.'

a short time later, their church celebrated the LORD's supper in a sunday morning worship service and it was customary to encourage young men to come and pray aloud and it seemed he was pressured by well meaning people to go up front and pray, so he did.

he said, "filled less with worship than with nervousness, i found my theology becoming confused to the point of heresy. i remember thanking the FATHER for hanging on the cross and praising CHRIST for triumphantly bringing the SPIRIT from the grave. stuttering throughout, i finally thought of the word amen, said it, and sat down."

he said, "i recall staring at the floor, too embarrassed to look around, and solemnly vowing never again to pray or speak aloud in front of a group. two strikes were enough.

when the service was over, he said, i darted toward the door, not wishing to encounter an elder who might feel obligated to correct my twisted theology but i was not quick enough. an older CHRISTian man named jim dunbar intercepted me, put his arm around me and cleared his throat to speak.

'larry', he said, 'there's one thing i want you to know. whatever you do for the LORD, i'm behind you one thousand per cent.' then he walked away. "

dr. crabb said, "i have yet to tell that story to an audience without at least mildly choking. those words were life words. they had power. they reached deep into my being. my resolve never again to speak publicly weakened instantly.

and since those days, GOD has lead me into a ministry in which i regularly address and pray before crowds of all sizes and i do it without stuttering. i love it."

just a thought from the front porch…