In 1875 there was an outlaw who struck terror into the hearts of countless settlers around the west. Like a tornado through the Sierra Nevada’s, he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line as well as countless others. His name, Black Bart. He robbed 29 stagecoaches in all, and never fired one shot. His weapon – his reputation. His ammunition – his fear. No one ever saw his face, and no one could ever track his whereabouts. He was the most notorious, most feared man, for 13 years. Well, until he was finally captured, and to everyone’s surprise, he was not who and what they figured him to be. For when his mask was removed, they found Charles E. Bolton, a mild-mannered druggist from Decatur, Illinois. What’s interesting about his 13-year rampage is that the one causing the fear was also paralyzed by it. You see, the man portrayed as storming the mountains on horseback never rode one. All of his robberies were on foot because he was afraid of horses. And he never fired a single shot because his gun was never loaded – he was afraid of them, too.
Now, I wonder how many of ‘God’s children’ are much the same. That if they were caught, the masks removed, what and who would be revealed? And allow me to add, one of the quickest, surest ways to this, the removing of the mask and reveal what lies behind, are adversities.
I’ve heard it said that it’s easy to be what you need to be on the mountains of life, but the revelation comes forth in the adversities of it. In other words, testing speaks volumes to who and what we really are, because we quickly discover what and who we lean on as well as who and what can be counted on.
Counterfeiting has been around a long time, whether it be a pair of Air Jordans or a designer purse, and the same can be said when it comes to who is really a child of God.
God wants us to be the real deal. God wants us to be who we are, and who we are supposed to be regardless how the winds of life change. So, who are you, really?
