the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Daily Devotionals
Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
Sidekicks. Maybe you remember them. They used to be fairly common sights. From prime time to Saturday mornings they were readily seen. Even the comics had their fair share of them. Sidekicks. That team of two that worked like one, thought like one and acted like one. Not sure just exactly what I'm talking about? Then take this quick little quiz. Complete the phrase: Laurel and ___________; Rocky and ___________; Batman and ___________. Now do you remember sidekicks?
Funnymen Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy brought physical comedy to new levels. You always got the idea that Ollie was the one who was in charge while Stan made sure that he was at Ollie's side to help whenever he was needed. They were two friends who bungled their way through all sorts of adventures. When their adventure blew up in their faces (which literally happened a lot) Ollie would look at Stan and utter that famous line, "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into."
Rocky and Bullwinkle were cartoon characters. Rocky was a flying squirrel while Bullwinkle was a moose. Yes, a rather unlikely pair. Rocky (which was short for Rocket) was the courageous one. Bullwinkle (which was short for, uh, well, maybe it wasn't actually short for anything) was usually a tad fearful when time came to do some things. But he trusted Rocky without fail and always stood beside his rather diminutive partner no matter what. As a result, week after week they saved the world.
Talk about saving the world, Batman and Robin did that as easily as the average person breathes. They are the most unlikely superheroes of the genre since, well, they have no super powers. What they do have is guile and skill, intellect and knowledge, athleticism and determination; and seemingly unfailing trust for each other. Whether in the comic or on the screen they always were there for each other and for the people of Gotham and the world. They leaned on each other and drew strength from each other. No matter how dark it seemed they always knew the other would be there for them.
We have someone who would never get us into a fine mess but will help us find our way out of the ones we seem to find with regularity. He is representative of the power of the universe and would never leave us even though we are nowhere close to Him in power. Even on our darkest days He will be right there to help us because that is exactly what He is with us for. He is God's divine presence in us, the Holy Spirit. Jesus described the Spirit's work for us when He said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26 He will never leave us. How's that for a sidekick?
'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' Copyright 2010 © Tom Kelley. 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) A proper credit must be given to the author at the end of each story, along with their complete bio and a link to https://www.studylight.org/ 2) 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' content may not be arranged or "mirrored" as a competitive online service.
