BTU (Baptist Training Union)

       The start and finish lines were drawn using chalk and the two runners poised at the line in the four point

stance to run.  I called out to them: "Runners to your mark, Now set, GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", and

off they streaked. The cheering kids lined Acadia Street for the hundred (or so) yard dash challenge.

       Often junior and high schoolers try to set themselves goals and use their God-given talents to prove

themselvs to their peers.  Grady Harris and Steve Griffin were the oldest youth in our BTU; Tommy and

Johnny Duncan were the oldest teen SS members, but they did not come to BTU regularly.

       All teenagers put themselves out there sometimes and Grady's pride had set him up.  There was a new

guy visiting our BTU that evening and Grady felt somewhat snubbed by his junior class members as the new

guy commanded so much attention from us all. Th new guys was much too old for our youth BTU but he was

visiting to see how BTU worked since he had been coming to Sunday School regularly the past few months.

       Grady's jealousy crept in when the new guy mentioned that he had run long distance track when he went

to Wake Forest.  Grady, who was by far our speediest runner, immediately challenged the new guy to a

hundred yard dash down Acadia Street to see just how his short distance running might compare. We often

think that jealousy, pride, and human nature are strictly sinful, but the Lord can use even our pride to draw us

closer to His plan for us.

       The runners pumped and pumped, hair flowing behind them in the summer evening wind, the boys and

girls of BTU cheered on their favorite, and the churchmembers began to arrive as Grady's running reputtion

fell to the new guy, Rev. Bright E. White.

        As a result of this simple, little race challenge, Brightie White became the teenagers' favorite preacher.

We trusted him to tell us the truth, back it up, and lead us to a fuller knowledge of our Lord.  He never let us

down over the next 8 years while we all continued attending Park View (which was the most difficult time in

a teen's life), and all the blessing was a direct result of jealousy, pride, and human nature at its worst.  Turn

your tough times and faults over to Him today for the same results in your life.