Daily Lesson for March 14, 2016

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Exodus chapter 4 verses 10 through 12:

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

1991. The end of my eighth grade year at Ed Irons Junior High School. I am running for Student Council Vice President of Ed Irons Junior High School. My campaign is sufficiently well-funded. I have the endorsement of the current student council. I have a killer slogan: "Price for Vice".

There is just one problem: I have to give a speech in front of all the 7th and 8th grade classes.

I stand up before the sea of pimple-faced teenagers. I pull out my paper. I begin to read -- fast, very, very fast and I never look up. Beads of sweat turn into rivers rushing down my back and the side of my face. "Who turned off the air conditioner in here?" I wonder.  Then, suddenly, without looking but only by feeling I realize my right leg is shaking. It twinges in both the thigh and heel. It shivers of its own and I cannot do a thing to stop it.   An alien has taken control of it. All I can do is pretend not to notice and keep reading, keep reading, keep reading and doing it very, very fast.

The speech is over. The votes are cast. Price will not be Vice. What Price will do is go home and cry in shame and embarrassment.

And sitting in my room with the door closed and wishing for it to remain shut forever, I swear to myself that I will never again be so stupid to put myself out there.  I swear to myself I will never ever try to speak in public again.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. He who has a mouth to speak, let him speak.