June 24, 2022 - Good Morning! It's Friday, June 24.
On June 24, 1901, a very famous man was born in Brown County, Indiana. His name was Charles Hollis Taylor. Doesn't ring a bell? Hold on, I bet you've heard of him. Indiana is a state that's crazy about basketball, and so Chuck, as he was known, grew up in the right place. He played high school ball and then was part of several semi-pro teams that barnstormed around the country.
Chuck wasn't a great player, would never become an all-star, but in 1969 he was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame - as an all-star salesman and shoe designer. In the 1920's, the Converse Sporting Goods Company began to market the first shoe made especially for basketball. And Chuck was their top salesman. He was on the road 365 days a year. He would go into a small town, meet the local high school coach, and offer to give a free clinic. And then he would sell some shoes.
One hundred years later, Converse (now owned by Nike) has sold 600 million pairs. They're sometimes called "All-Stars," sometimes "Hi-Tops," but most people simply refer to them as... "Chucks." My New York City fashion model daughter has a pair in pink (in the '80's they became a surprising fashion statement). And so, Chucks remain the sole clothing item that she and I have in common.
You and I have a name in common. The name "Christian." It was first used 2000 years ago in the city of Antioch. Luke writes about it in Acts 11. The name means "follower of Christ." "Christ" means "anointed one." And as we live under His name, Jesus has anointed us to live a life that is different, a life that makes a difference, a life that brings glory to Him.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
