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OBSTINATE BECKY... and OTHER CHARACTERS By: Margaret R. Wilder

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

I really like this next one.... Funny thing is, she wrote it herself.

"...Facts are much more interesting than fiction...."

Over 100 years ago, "Obstinate Becky" made national headline news after she kept true to her pledge of silence to her former deseaced employer, Gordon Hammersley. She refused to comply with subpoenas to testify in a case contesting her boss' Last Will and Testament. First she eluded the police by hiding, next she jumped off a moving train while in police custody, and ultimately spent 42 weeks in Federal prison at Ludlow Street Jail, but still never uttered a word.

Wow! So i guess it's ok to Be obstinate sometimes...

She was a character with integrity and CHARACTER!

of all God's creatures, a donkey was selected more than once to be used by God!

So interestingly, the Bible relates that the animal we are hear many describe as stupid, hardheaded, and obstinate was the one that God chose for HIS work several times!

Maybe this is kinda how God chooses people for His work---just ordinary folks. Perhaps the obstinate ones are quite useful tools in His kingdom since the Bible decribes most Old Testament prophets and New Testament disciples as quite obstinate. So if you are ordinary, you are the person God is calling to help achieve His mission on earth.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Old Testament prophecy foretold the Jewish Messiah would, "...come seated on a donkey's colt". Wow. Again, historical events are stranger than fiction.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9.
JOHN 12 EXPLAINS the fulfillment of this prophesy.
"The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the L ord!’ The King of Israel!” Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. ".l John 12:12-16
Some Religious characters watching this event were extremely angry and perplexed.
They couldn't shut him up fast enough.
Forget about jail! Murder was on their minds!

They Desired to erase this character from history thinking, "let's do it quickly before The whole country starts believing in him."

God's commandment, "thou Shalt Not kill." Did not seem to matter.
they felt Justified.

They thought this event and many others involving Jesus was blasphemous! In their minds, there was zero chance this man was the "Messiah" or the "King" they were looking for. They were expecting an authoritative King on a thoroughbred horse---Not a blue collar worker's son (son of a carpenter) riding on a borrowed donkey.

He wasn't the "King" that many had envisioned in thupleir minds.

Later, after Jesus began teaching, John 12:28 says the crowd heard a voice from heaven!!!! Wow!

John 12:29-30 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
Yet in verse 37, even after they heard an audible voice from heaven and...
"Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him."

These people were the worst kind of obstinate. Truth and love was staring them in the face and they were willing to forfeit their eternal destiny of heaven because of the hardness of their hearts.

So where do we stand? Are we hardheaded? Have we accepted God's call to totally surrender our lives to His will? We only have to be willing and God will direct our path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Original headstone and story at:

Credits:

Created with images by tpsdave - "donkey fence nature" • familymwr - "Army Photography Contest - 2007 - FMWRC - Arts and Crafts - Eye of the Holder" • P_R_F - "Ladies, here's one good reason why you want to outlive your husband." • geralt - "thinking thinking work man" • 12019 - "donkey fence nature" • Mr Moss - "The Good Book - 125/365" • tigerlily713 - "impossible possible eraser" • Waiting For The Word - "Palm Sunday 10" • DavidSpinks - "Above the clouds"

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