June 24, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, 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 any bells? Hold on, I’ll 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 a semi-pro team that barnstormed around the Midwest. Chuck wasn’t a great player, would never be an all-star, but in 1969 he was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, not as a player, but as an all-star salesman!
In the 1920’s, the Converse Sporting Goods Company had begun to market the first shoe made especially for basketball. And Chuck Taylor was their top salesman. He was on the road almost 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 over 600 million pairs of this shoe. They’re sometimes called “All Stars”, sometimes “High Tops”, but most people just refer to them as “Chucks”. My fashionable daughter has a pair in pink - in the 1980’s they became a surprising fashion statement. And so, Chucks are the sole clothing item that my daughter and I have in common.
You and I may have a name in common too - the name “Christian.” It was first used 2000 years ago in the Greek city of Antioch. Luke writes about it in Acts 11. It means “follower of Christ.” Christ means “anointed one”. And as we live under His name, Jesus has anointed us to live lives that make a difference, lives that leave a legacy, lives that bring honor and glory... to that name.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
