Resting Places
There's rest in work that we faithfully do — not doing and doing just to be doing, and not a waste, rush, and busyness in doing out of worry or anticipation about what life may be like next month or next year: Matthew 6:33-34.
In his autobiography An Uncaged Eagle: True Freedom, Richard Toliver makes mention of his first months at Tuskegee Institute.
Away from responsibilities to family at home, each day of class attendance, studying, and other activities was enough responsibility for that day in his life.
Young Mr. Toliver wasn't burdened with wasteful tasks anyone thought might prepare him for tomorrow.
"Take no thought of the morrow, for the morrow will worry about itself," Jesus says. Each day in this world has enough evil without any of us ruining our own days — putting ourselves through worry about the ability to handle life (money, needed supplies, a new workload) sometime in the future, if at all, the Holy Spirit seems to say in Matthew 6:31-34.
Tomorrow's responsibilities — whatever they may be — are for tomorrow. And Heaven gives us rest even today.
So young Mr. Toliver found time to visit the campus museum; to seek out history books to read on his own; and to stop, many times along his campus walks, to read inscriptions on the grave of George Washington Carver and on the campus's monument of Booker T. Washington.
The young Air Force pilot-to-be rested his mind on phrases like, "He lifted the veil of ignorance from his people ... ."
The young airman-to-be didn't keep focused on the grave, but raised up that message in his heart, quickly growing, as a person, through dedication to learning, marriage, and nation.
He learned to rest his heart and mind on strong leadership and mentors.
In view of the kind of good fruit that this airman has had in heart over a lifetime, can't we question how Tuskegee's first presidents overcame adversity? How did their apparent vision for raising up students for the good of nation help to lay ground for men like young Mr. Toliver to grow? What structure and freedom of thought and opportunity did universities like Tuskegee afford our nation? And how may that kind of opportunity help point the way forward today?
Where overcoming adversity is concerned, how did we traditionally avoid becoming too worn and depleted to finish the journey? And wherever have we gone wrong?
... Some complain that salvation too often seems missing in culture now. But, while it's true that salvation isn't found in any college or university curricula, and that both education and personal integrity can sometimes fail us, it's moreover true that we find the gift of salvation through growing to know Jesus somewhere along the way in life. Abiding in Jesus's word and walking in agreement with other believers, we each find and live our salvation, regardless of what opportunities we've each had, or have not had, in life. ... That's true.
Yet, Heaven's word tells us that mentorship is important to salvation, and to the conviction of heart that salvation brings. So, despite their failings (for none is without some type of failure at some point in life; none is righteous in every phase of life), didn't some of our early African-American educators open doors that made the way to salvation more clear?
... Maybe, one day, the retired Colonel can share a few of his life lessons in this space, in answer to these thoughts and questions.
In his autobiography An Uncaged Eagle: True Freedom, Richard Toliver makes mention of his first months at Tuskegee Institute.
Away from responsibilities to family at home, each day of class attendance, studying, and other activities was enough responsibility for that day in his life.
Young Mr. Toliver wasn't burdened with wasteful tasks anyone thought might prepare him for tomorrow.
"Take no thought of the morrow, for the morrow will worry about itself," Jesus says. Each day in this world has enough evil without any of us ruining our own days — putting ourselves through worry about the ability to handle life (money, needed supplies, a new workload) sometime in the future, if at all, the Holy Spirit seems to say in Matthew 6:31-34.
Tomorrow's responsibilities — whatever they may be — are for tomorrow. And Heaven gives us rest even today.
So young Mr. Toliver found time to visit the campus museum; to seek out history books to read on his own; and to stop, many times along his campus walks, to read inscriptions on the grave of George Washington Carver and on the campus's monument of Booker T. Washington.
The young Air Force pilot-to-be rested his mind on phrases like, "He lifted the veil of ignorance from his people ... ."
The young airman-to-be didn't keep focused on the grave, but raised up that message in his heart, quickly growing, as a person, through dedication to learning, marriage, and nation.
He learned to rest his heart and mind on strong leadership and mentors.
In view of the kind of good fruit that this airman has had in heart over a lifetime, can't we question how Tuskegee's first presidents overcame adversity? How did their apparent vision for raising up students for the good of nation help to lay ground for men like young Mr. Toliver to grow? What structure and freedom of thought and opportunity did universities like Tuskegee afford our nation? And how may that kind of opportunity help point the way forward today?
Where overcoming adversity is concerned, how did we traditionally avoid becoming too worn and depleted to finish the journey? And wherever have we gone wrong?
... Some complain that salvation too often seems missing in culture now. But, while it's true that salvation isn't found in any college or university curricula, and that both education and personal integrity can sometimes fail us, it's moreover true that we find the gift of salvation through growing to know Jesus somewhere along the way in life. Abiding in Jesus's word and walking in agreement with other believers, we each find and live our salvation, regardless of what opportunities we've each had, or have not had, in life. ... That's true.
Yet, Heaven's word tells us that mentorship is important to salvation, and to the conviction of heart that salvation brings. So, despite their failings (for none is without some type of failure at some point in life; none is righteous in every phase of life), didn't some of our early African-American educators open doors that made the way to salvation more clear?
... Maybe, one day, the retired Colonel can share a few of his life lessons in this space, in answer to these thoughts and questions.
"Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to our people."
Proverbs 14:34
"Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my word upon you and learn of me, for I am not high, but I'm lowly in heart. And you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus
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