No Hopeless Situations

Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

Dinah Shore said, "There are no hopeless situations -- only people who are hopeless about them." Case in point: Morgan Rowe. Some 30 years ago, when he was only 11 years old, he lost his left arm and much of the use of his right arm. It happened when he fell off a tractor at his father's fence company in Valdosta, Georgia, and was dragged beneath the machine. Morgan's left arm was destroyed and his right, mangled.

Young Morgan was released from the hospital after three-and-a-half months. The first thing he set out to do was to help pay the bills -- $30,000 worth. That was a lot of money back then as it is now. For a boy of 11 to accomplish such a task, the situation seemed hopeless.

For five years Morgan scoured roadsides picking up cans and bottles. He collected thousands of cans and collected and sold newspapers. He never gave up hope. First, he paid off the $455 ambulance bill. Then he put $2,500 down on the hospital bill. He was still a long way off though his parents raised another $9,000 toward the debt.

People began to hear about the injured boy and eventually some 2,000 donations poured in, totaling $25,000. The bill was paid in full! Morgan set aside the additional money for future education.

What then? Though the bill was paid up, Morgan kept his projects going to collect money for the hospital so he could help others.

Someone forgot to tell the boy he was too injured for that kind of work. Someone neglected to inform him that the situation was hopeless. Somehow young Morgan didn't realize that an 11-year-old boy could never pay off a hospital bill so large.

Martin Luther once said, "Everything that is done in the world is done by the hopeful." No matter your age. No matter your circumstances. No matter your financial wealth. Without hope, nothing is possible. But with hope...well...watch out!

Why not take Morgan’s example and work hard toward the projects that are before each of us. Doing our best to bring honor to God in all that we do.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would have the strength to accomplish the things that are before us. Help us work hard in all things that we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.