Think a minute…This is the true story of a man named Sam who joined the American army in 1812. He was such a great military leader that he became a Major General. Eventually he became successful in politics also and was elected Governor of Tennessee. When he was campaigning for a second term, Sam married a girl named Eliza Allen. But the marriage only lasted 11 days! It’s not clear whether Sam’s drunkenness drove them apart or whether the divorce drove him to drink.
Sam later resigned as Governor of Tennessee and went to live with the Cherokee tribe of native American Indians. He became an alcoholic and stayed for years under the influence of alcohol, or “firewater” as the native American Indians called it. Sam went downhill fast as drinking wasted years of his life.
One day Sam was back in America’s capital of Washington D.C. on a mission for the Cherokee Indian tribe. He was walking down the main street when he saw a Congressman who in the past had publicly accused Sam of stealing and fraud. Well, Sam decided this was his chance for revenge and payback, so he physically beat the man for slandering his name.
In the days following, this Congressman whom Sam had beaten got his own revenge when Sam was publicly penalized and his entire political career destroyed. Or so everyone thought.
Then a surprising thing happened: Sam changed his ways! He realized that he needed to learn to control himself physically, emotionally and mentally. In fact, he continued to prove his self-control so that eventually America trusted him as the leader of a large part of the nation. This man, Sam Houston, who had lived as a drunk, totally changed and became the first President of the great territory of Texas. Later he even returned to Washington as a respected U.S. Senator. To this day, Sam the changed man is remembered with one of America’s largest cities named after him: Houston, Texas.
Everything changed for Sam when he made the decision to change. And so can you today. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you for your wrong, sinful living? If you ask Him to take full control of your heart and way of life, He will help you start changing to become the successful man or woman of true character He created you to be. Just think a minute…