| "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and | | | | had joy in spite of." "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, |
| perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before | | | | the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the |
| him endured the cross... " (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).The | | | | joy set before him endured the cross..." (Hebrews |
| story is told of the little boy who loved to play with | | | | 12:2). Whatever humiliation and suffering there is, it is |
| toy soldiers. His mother and father gave him a | | | | well worth the effort, for it is outweighed by the |
| chocolate soldier, carefully wrapped in bright red foil, | | | | prospects of future real happiness of eternity with |
| for his birthday. The little boy was ecstatic. He took | | | | Him who died for us.The Bible is replete with |
| it outside on a very warm afternoon and placed | | | | examples of both tungsten and chocolate soldiers |
| "General Julius," as he named his new addition to the | | | | and even people of God who were made up of both |
| family of soldiers, right up front. He played with his | | | | materials. The greatest Man of tungsten was Jesus: |
| little army for about an hour when his mother called | | | | "As the time approached for him to be taken up to |
| him to come into the house to help her. While he | | | | heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem" (Luke |
| was in the house, his precious little chocolate soldier | | | | 9:51). Jesus knew what His mission was, and He |
| melted into mush. He was not a strong leader | | | | determined to face the horror rather than run away. |
| anymore! From might to mush, at the mercy of a | | | | What a lesson for us when we are tempted to run a |
| muggy and merciless heat! When the fires of | | | | race in the opposite direction of our problems! Jesus |
| temptation and affliction bear down, do we melt? | | | | also "fell with his face to the ground and prayed, |
| Are we made of chocolate or tungsten? Tungsten is | | | | 'Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from |
| a rare and heavy metal whose melting point (3410 | | | | me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'" (Matthew |
| degrees centigrade) is higher than that of any other | | | | 26:39). So tungsten men and women may pray for |
| metal.Are we chocolate or tungsten soldiers for Jesus | | | | the cup to be removed but the test is accepting |
| Christ? Do we want to please our Commander or | | | | God's will, even if it is to drink the cup to the bitter |
| ourselves? Are we willing to take the cross directly | | | | dregs.Another tungsten man was Joseph. "You |
| from Jesus, or do we want to pad it with comforts, | | | | intended to harm me, but God intended it for good |
| the best of health, and always doing things our way? | | | | to accomplish what is now being done..." (Genesis |
| Do we want to always walk in the Garden of Eden | | | | 50:20). Joseph, firstborn of the barren Rachel, Jacob's |
| and never kneel with our Jesus in the Garden of | | | | favorite wife, was the favored of the twelve sons. |
| Gethsemane? Are we willing to eat the bitter herbs | | | | Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave. Later, when |
| before we eat of the fruit of the tree of life? Do we | | | | Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of his household, it |
| take flight if we see blood or tears on the cross? | | | | was Joseph's very integrity that led to his |
| Are we willing to wipe from our hearts with God's | | | | imprisonment. That he was able to remain loyal and |
| grace all traces of revenge and lust and bitterness | | | | kind and sympathetic through all the injustices in his |
| and flattery so that we may carry the cross with | | | | young life is quite remarkable. But what surely proved |
| God's weights and not our own?We can't cheat, | | | | his mettle and metal was his forgiveness of his |
| either, by injecting the steroids of artificial happiness | | | | brothers' cruel act. Their intentional bane became |
| that give a temporary lift, but then attack later to | | | | Joseph's unintentional boon and Joseph was able to |
| finally destroy us. Happiness is deceptive and it is | | | | forgive them. God rules and overrules in lives. "So |
| based on feeling. It is joy that we seek, and | | | | then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your |
| sometimes joy is rooted in sorrow. E. Stanley Jones | | | | children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to |
| said, "Anyone can have joy on account of, but Jesus | | | | them" (Genesis 50:21). What graciousness! |