“Prop us up, Lord”…

I came across this story and it seemed so appropriate for the times we live in today.

There was once an old deacon in a Southern Baptist church who always prayed, “Lord, prop us on our leanin’ side.”

Curiosity got the best of the gossiping ladies club, so one widow woman asked the deacon one day, “I am sure you have been asked this many times, but why do you always say that same phrase about the good Lord propping you up on your leanin’ side?”

The gentle man smiled the same smile that he had given so many times before when asked the same question.  Then he answered with an explanation like many people in the South do because only a few short words is not the Southern way!

He answered, “Well ma’am it is like this.  I got an old barn out back of my place.  It has been there a long time and it has withstood many storms and it has stood for many years.”  He smiled and continued, “It is still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.  So, I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall.  You know, I got to thinking later.  I am much like that old barn out back.  I have been around a long time. I have withstood a lot of life’s storms.  I have withstood a lot of bad weather.  And, I have withstood a lot of hard times, but I am still standing!  From time to time, I find myself leaning to one side so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leanin’ side ’cause I figure a lot of us get to leanin’ at times.”

The lady looked a little confused.

Then he uttered the most beautiful explanation.  “Sometimes we get to leaning toward ANGER,  leaning toward BITTERNESS, leaning toward HATRED, leaning toward CUSSING, leaning toward JUDGING OTHERS.  We just get to leaning toward a lot of things we shouldn’t be leaning toward!  So, we need to pray, ‘Lord, prop us up on our leaning side so we will stand up straight and tall and glorify Him in all we do and say.”

The lady stood amazed at the words of wisdom spoken that day and found a new favorite way to pray!

How about us?  What are we leaning toward that we need to ask the Lord to prop us from?….