July 13, 2023 8:00 pm
When Bill Pinkney sailed solo around the world in 1992—taking the hard route around the perilous Great Southern Capes—he did it for a higher purpose. His voyage was to inspire and educate children. That included students at his former inner-city Chicago elementary school. His goal? To show how far they could go by studying hard and making a commitment—the word he chose in naming his boat. When Bill takes schoolkids on the water in Commitment, he says, “They’ve got that tiller in their hand and they learn about control, self-control, they learn about teamwork . . . all the basics that one needs in life to be successful.”
Pinkney’s words paint a portrait of Solomon’s wisdom. “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out” (Proverbs 20:5). He invited others to examine their life goals. Otherwise, “it is a trap,” said Solomon, “to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows” (v. 25).
In contrast, William Pinkney had a clear purpose that eventually inspired 30,000 students across the U.S. to learn from his journey. He became the first African American inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. “Kids were watching,” he said. With similar purpose, let’s set our course by the deep counsel of God’s instructions to us.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled Deep Waters was written by Patricia Rabin. When Bill Pinckney sailed solo around the world in 1992, taking the hard route around the perilous Great Southern Capes, he did it for a higher purpose. His voyage was to inspire and educate children. That included students at his former inner-city Chicago elementary school.
His goal? To show how far they could go by studying hard and making a commitment, the word he chose in naming his boat. When Bill takes school kids on the water in commitment, he says they've got that tiller in their hand and they learn about control, self-control.
They learn about teamwork, all the basics that one needs in life to be successful. Pinckney's words paid a portrait of Solomon's wisdom in Proverbs chapter 20. The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. He invited others to examine their life goals. Otherwise, it is a trap, said Solomon, to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one's vows. In contrast, William Pinckney had a clear purpose that eventually inspired 30,000 students across the United States to learn from his journey.
He became the first African American inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Kids were watching, he said. With similar purpose, let's set our course by the deep counsel of God's instructions to us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Proverbs chapter 20, verses 4 through 5 and 24 through 25.
Sluggards do not plow in season, so at harvest time they look but find nothing. The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. Now picking up at verse 24. A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?
It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one's vows. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you, Lord, for instilling in us a purpose for our lives. Help us to realize our purpose and help us use our purpose in ways that glorify you. Thank you, Lord. It's in your name, Jesus, that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-07-13 20:44:48 / 2023-07-13 20:46:18 / 2
