Friday, April 9, 2021

Red Thumbnail

 


In 2010 I spoke at Camp Jerry in West Virginia.  We had a great time with seventy-five junior-age campers.  We had great activities, great games, great food, and a great swimming pool.  The first evening that I spoke, I noticed several of the kids had their right thumbnail polished a bright red color.  After the service, I asked a counselor.  Was it a gang?  Was it a new trendy thing?  What was going on?  He assured me there was nothing sinister.  Ruth, the lifeguard at the pool needed a quick way to know who was safe to swim in the deep end.  She gave the kids a short swimming test.  If you passed, you got your right thumbnail painted red, and you could swim in the deep end of the pool.  Ruth could tell at a glance when a non-swimmer got in too deep.  It was a great idea.  So, the next day, I passed my swimming test and got my right thumbnail painted red.  I was in the club!  When the kids saw my red thumbnail, they thought I was great!  Hey, I wanted to be a good example for the kids.  The apostle Peter reminded us that Jesus set an example for us in I Peter 2:21, “… leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”  Jesus was baptized by John, not because He needed to be, but to set a good example for us to follow.  And what an example Jesus was!  We can follow in His steps completely.  Hey, are you following Jesus?  I hope so.

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