A son of the church glorifying God...

Some of the greatest blessings God give us are daughters and sons of the covenant who live by faith, honoring God and His Word. What joy they bring to our lives as they pick up the baton and run!

Here's a front-page story from the Indianapolis Star about one of Church of the Good Shepherd's sons who has decided not to compete in the regional Scripps spelling bee this year because the bee, sponsored by Bloomington's local paper, the Herald Times, has been changed from Saturday to Sunday. The paper's publisher, E. Mayer Maloney Jr., has been intransigent in the matter, despite the willingness of his subordinates to do the work necessary to keep the bee on Saturday.

The significance of all this is that the son of our church, Elliot Huck, has won the last two competitions and gone to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. each year, placing 45th this past year. Since then, Elliot's spent many hundreds of hours preparing for this year's competition, which would have been his last. Then, a couple weeks ago, the paper announced they were changing the day of the week the competition would be held, and E. Mayer Maloney Jr. has planted his feet...

The whole thing's sad and wonderful, at the same time. What faith!

Read Elliot's testimony. And if you want to write to commend Elliot for his witness and faith, just post comments here and he'll see them.

Incidentally, it's no accident that this story ran at the paper where well-known Christian journalist and World Journalism Institute instructor, Russ Pulliam, works.

Comments

[Fred Greco]

Tim,

Thanks so much for posting this so we in different parts of the country can know this story. The stand being taken here is wonderful, but even more wonderful is the gracious, temperate way that the young man and his family are handling it. Too often Christians are so shrill, acting as if things like this are persecution when real persecution is occurring in China, India and the like. The newspaper truly comes across here as the insensitive bullies that they are.

I commend Elliot, and encourage him to continue building up treasure in heaven.

[Steve Moxey]

As I commended Elliot in person last night, I'll commend him again. This young man cares more about the glory of God than his own glory; this certainly wasn't true of me as an 8th grader, and I can't say it's true of me now. Praise God for the faith He has given Elliot, a faith in God's perfect providence.

[Bob Burger]

Robert King writes: "Maloney finds suggestions of religious insensitivity to be offensive, reflecting what he called a 'single-minded selfishness.'"

Praise God that Elliot fears God more than man and graciously and unselfishly declined to participate out of faith! Sin blinded the eyes of Maloney so that he fails to see his own single-minded selfishness. What did Maloney accomplish by being uncompromising? Now people all around the state will read the story and glorify God!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:4-7

[Kirsten]

This is great. I just printed out the article to put up on the bulletin board at church. I'll read it to my kids and we'll discuss it as well. This young man wants to glory the Lord through this situation and indeed he has!

[Alex]

I guess I'll be the first to say that I think Elliot should still participate in the regionals. I admire his commitment to the Lord...

this is ridiculous though.

[Alex]

by the way Elliot. I hope you're not hurt or bothered by my comment. I'm sure you'll get enough replies saying that I'm wrong.

I want to say that I think very highly of you, and your willingness to give up something that I'm sure you really want is very powerful for me to see.

[Joel K.]

Alex,

I am curious about the following comment you left for Elliot: " I admire his commitment to the Lord...this is ridiculous though."

First, I think it important that you clarify exactly what you meant by the "this" in your statement "this is ridiculous though."

Second, I am troubled if my prognostication is correct that you haven't thought about the relationship of Elliot's conviction (i.e. "his commitment to the Lord") and his behavior (which you said was "ridiculous."

I think it important that we carefully analyze the situation, and I will do my best in the following:

1) It is true that Christians should do their best to follow the commands of Scripture and comport their lives to its teachings.

2) Elliot is convinced, or those in authority over him are convinced (I'm not sure if the latter is the case, but I am quite sure of the former), that Scripture teaches that one should rest on the Sabbath.

3) Of course, not all Christians are convinced Sabbatarians. But, in situations such as this, where the teaching Scripture may not be as clear as, for example, the doctrine of salvation by grace or the clear command to abstain from sexual immorality, one is constrained to obey one's conscience - whatever is not from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23).

Thus, your implication that Elliot should perhaps violate his conscience on the matter is not in accord with Scripture's teaching on conscience. If, however, you mean to say that you disagree with his Scriptural interpretation, that can be done in a spirit of Christian charity. If this was your intention, you probably should have used a phrase beside "ridiculous" to describe either the situation or Elliot's behavior - again, it wasn't clear what you meant.

Even so, on a matter such as this we should respect our brother's conscience and support him to the best of our ability.

Elliot, I'm very proud to say that you are my Christian brother. You are a tangible encouragement to me during this age when it has been made all too easy to separate one's conscience from one's actions and to easily change one's interpretation of the text when pragmatic.

"And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3

Very best,

Joel K.

[rcjr]

Elliott,

May God continue to bless you with a quiet and courageous faith, even as He has blessed you with with faithful parents and a godly pastor. How now do you spell humble obedience? r-e-w-a-r-d-s i-n h-e-a-v-e-n. There are many more millions of just men made perfect who are cheering you even now than ever would have had you won. Keep the faith young man, and show the rest of us the way.