God bless the ordinary folk of Texas. God bless the ordinary folk everywhere. When there is a crisis they help. When bad things happen, they consider the LORD, and help. When good things happen, they praise God.
They care not a whit for how things are being reported. They are too busy rescuing people, setting up food lines, and doing their duty to their neighbour. They show their love by jumping into alligator infested bayou where the signs, now underwater, state it is unsafe to swim.
This is good. Let the media snark. But we know the good when we see it.
The “Cajun Navy” is on its way, and Houstonians are grateful for it. I have family down there that are stranded, but so far they are not in need of rescue. They live off of I-10 and it’s underwater.
They’re also grateful for the coast guardsmen, national guardsmen, state military men, policemen and firemen that, as well, have demonstrated bravery and service on behalf of their fellow citizens. The flood waters are full of chemicals, but there’s nothing more “toxic” in them right now than all this masculinity. You don’t have to be a believer in government, big or small, to appreciate chivalry and manliness. How nice to not hear the media continuing its two minutes of hate against men! And it’s all kinds of men. A black sheriff’s deputy was carrying two small white children to safety from a flooded home in Cypress. That’s a touching photo if you can find it. I heard he was off duty when he did that. It takes guts: there are vipers and gators in those swamp waters, plus debris, chemicals, sewage, and who knows what.
The Weather Channel and local news stations have been hitching rides on fishing boats turned into rescue boats since the flooding began. Good ol’ country boys have often been leading those efforts, their warm, compassionate Southern accents on proud display. Fitness nut yuppies with their kayaks and canoes are rescuing people as well.
It’s amazing to me how people can and will come together when there’s a REAL crisis that needs to be addressed. I don’t think that’s necessarily unique to the west, or to what has always been a multi-cultural, multi-racial society undergirded by Biblical, Christian values here in Texas, but it’s heartwarming to see, and the lone piece of optimism we’ve had since this all began. And, I’d like to think that what virtues Americans, and particularly Southerners—especially Texans—have by the grace of God and His word makes us all the more equipped and ready to help our brothers in Adam when they’re in need.
1After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it. 3Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.
7Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. 9After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.
11Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; 13then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
16When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
What did Paul do? He did good. He healed the local people. He preached when he could. He was then taken to Rome, and Acts finishes with him in house arrest.
His life ended without freedom. Tradition says he died during a period of persecution. But it did not matter.
For he knew, as the ordinary folk of Texas do, that in all things you shall praise God. it is in the hard times that your witness shows through. And such will come.
Let the press interview those so fragile as to break. We should be cleaning up, their places included.