I got this story from one of my awesome youth! Love it...it's worth posting on my blog, it's that good :).
A few
years ago, a Japanese teenager lost his arm in a car crash that killed
his mother. He was involved in a prestigious Martial Arts group at the
time. Shortly after the crash, the Sensei of this "Prestigious"
group dismissed him because of this injury. He was crushed, he had
loved his martial arts, now it seemed his career was over. His loving
father, seeing that he was depressed, found an old retired Sensei that
would be willing to teach him.
This Sensei taught the young man one move, and had him practice it
over, and over, and over. The young man questioned his father "why is
it, that this old man has only taught me this one move? And why does he
insist on me learning it so well? I will never be great! I will never
show my potential if I never learn other moves!" His father told him,
that even though he was learning only this one move, he had a wise
master, who knew what he was doing. So, this young man continued to take
his martial arts from this old Sensei. A few months later, he asked the
Sensei "why
is it, that you have only taught me this one move? And why do you
insist on me learning it so well? I will never be great! I will never
show my potential if I never learn other moves!"
His
Sensei smiled. "Some things are not for us to know right now, or soon,
sometimes we must trust in the wisdom of those that have gone before us.
This move is all you will ever need."
So,
he continued on with his training, always practicing his one move, and
hoping that his master was right. Soon the national martial
arts competition would come, and this young man found that his Sensei
had recommended him to the competition, and he had been accepted, he was
thrilled! Now was his chance to learn something else, surely his master
would agree, if he was going to compete, he would have to know
something else. He asked, his master responded "Trust, I know what is
best for you, This move is all you will ever need."
He continued to practice his move, trusting in his Sensei's wisdom. It
seemed impossible that he would ever gain the championship he had always
desired, with only one arm, and only one move, he felt that he could
not do it.
The
competition came, he was placed in the ring, the buzzer sounded, and the
match was on, he waited, waiting for the moment he could use his move.
It came. he used his move, and had his opponent pinned, he had won his
first match of the championship, with one arm. He continued in
the competition, winning every time, with his one move, his move. It
came to the semi-finals, then to the finals. He asked his Sensei one
last time if he would teach him one last move, his Sensei responded.
"This is the only move you will ever need" With
that he pushed the young man toward the ring. He stepped in, blood
pulsing though his stressed out veins. This was it, honor or disgrace.
The buzzer sounded. he could feel the bruises forming on his face and
body. He waited, and waited. Then the opening came! he pulled his move,
his opponent pinned. He, a one armed young man, had one the Championship
with one move. He asked his Sensei, "Why is it that I could win with
only one arm? And why was it this move let me beat the best of the best in all
of Japan?"
His Sensei chuckled, "The only way to stop that move, is to grab the left arm."
Ether 12:27 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give
unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient
for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble
themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
I love this story. It reminds me of the cracked-pot story that I love, and reminds me that God can work with anyone to do miracles :)!
Fabulous! Cracked me up, the 'grab the left arm' bit!
ReplyDeleteGod CAN make our weaknesses strong, if we trust. If we let Him. Thanks for the reminder!