Do It Again!

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” – Romans 5:3,4 There’s a lesser-known Disney story from 1963 called “The Sword in the Stone.” In it, a 12-year-old orphan named Arthur—nicknamed Wart—is mentored by Merlin to become the King of England. How does Merlin prepare him to be a king, and ultimately, a winner? He puts Arthur in constant danger! Merlin turns him into a fish and a bird, and he almost gets eaten by them. As a squirrel, Arthur faces a lovestruck cartoon squirrel. He has to gently break her heart. She’s devastated, and Arthur tries to comfort her, but ultimately, Merlin tells him he did his best, and it’s time to move on. Here’s my point—and I mentioned it yesterday: this is exactly how we should raise our children. We hope they’ll experience life,