In the 1991 film City Slickers, an old Cowboy named Curly is riding the range with a city boy named Mitch. “Do you know what the secret of life is?” Curly asks. “No, what?” asks Mitch. Curly holds up a finger, saying, “One thing…just one thing.” After Mitch inquires as to what that one thing is, Curly explains, “That’s what you’ve got to figure out.”
Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Your doctor wants to run some tests. Your employer begins using the word “downsizing.” The unkind remarks of a friend get back to you. Your child’s teacher schedules a conference. The bills outnumber the paychecks.
Parents who urge their children to eat nutritious foods often face considerable resistance. Kids are creatures of habit who may prefer to stick with their french fries and fruit loops. Their refusal to experiment with alternative fare results in a bland and boring diet.
Engaging in “I am able” self-talk is the stuff of comedy routines. Back in 1991, comedian Al Franken first played Stuart Smalley on a Saturday Night Live skit. His catch phrase was, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
The movie Shawshank Redemption ends with Red meeting Andy on a beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Morgan Freeman concludes his classic narration, “I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
While the phrase living proof is associated with a line of haircare products, two movies, and the ministry of Beth Moore, Jesus proved His love in precisely the opposite way. The cross offers dying proof that Jesus loves you.
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