Some years ago, there was an unforgettable horse
named Sunday Silence. The back story is that Sunday Silence actually should
have been dead…twice. As a young colt, Sunday Silence contracted a deadly
case of colic. Colts with colic only rarely survive. Sunday Silence
got colic as colt, yet he survived.
Due to his prior medical condition, Sunday Silence
was put up for sale at two separate auctions. However, no one wanted to
purchase a horse that had colic or one with his unsightly appearance. Because
in addition to his horrific health issues, Sunday Silence was nearly killed
when the driver of his trailer had a heart attack and experienced a terrible
traffic accident. Bottom-line: Sunday Silence was universally viewed as
an unwanted and unmarketable horse.
However, eventually a man named Charles Widdingham
bought Sunday Silence (sight unseen) for $25,000 because everything he had
heard suggested to him that Sunday Silence was truly tough, a survivor.
At the age of 76, Charles was the oldest trainer to ever bring a horse to The
Kentucky Derby, but he entered that prestigious event anyway, only to become
the brunt of other horse owner’s jokes.
Even the jockey he had chosen, Pat Valenzuela, was
in semi-broken condition. He had only recently been rehabilitated from
drug abuse. So, the odds were heavily stacked against them. Most
people would not have wagered one dollar on that horse, his rider, or his owner.
Nevertheless, Charles and Pat had faith and trained
Sunday Silence rigorously. They worked around the clock to get him ready
for the toughest race in the world. Of course, they were surrounded by
million-dollar thoroughbreds with sponsors possessing deep financial
pockets. Thus they were categorically dismissed, as an old fool, a young
punk drunk and a sickly, unsightly horse.
The day of The Kentucky Derby finally
arrived. When the starting gun sounded and the horses bolted out of their
gates, a pitiful looking Sunday Silence (at first) wobbled back and forth,
appearing to be completely confused. But the gloating spectators
overlooked one important thing: Sunday
Silence had heart!
Suddenly, something strange and unprecedented
occurred. For reasons unknown to his startled critics, Sunday Silence
seemed to wake up – and
he raced down the track like the champion his owner expected him to be.
It seemed that he had an internal realization: ‘I’m in a big race…and I want to win!’ Sunday Silence shot
off like a bolt of lightning, passing all of his ungulate competitors, and winning
The Kentucky Derby that day – all because he had heart.
My friend, perhaps others have grossly
underestimated your own worth, or occasionally devalued your
contribution. Please do not allow your dream to be deterred or deferred
by any disapproving glances or commentary. You know better. Wake
up! Put your entire being (body, soul and spirit) into that unique
assignment for which only YOU been purposed and positioned on this
planet. No, it is not too late! Start seeing (TODAY) what GOD had
in mind for you, long before the foundation of the world. Write it down,
meditate on it, plan it, then act on it. Constantly evaluate your
character and your progress. Then you
can tweak your strategy, and try (again and again and again), until you
succeed!
Sunday Silence silenced all his detractors without speaking one
word. His bold actions were the loudest and clearest expression of his
winning destiny. And YOU, my friend, have
far more value and capability than Sunday Silence. WAKE UP, stand up, get moving!
Sisters and
brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE
READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!
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