SHE CAME OUT A WINNER

From God's Little Devotional * Brannon

In the fourth round of the national spelling bee in Washington, eleven-year-old Rosalie Elliot, a champion from South Carolina, was asked to spell the word "avowal." Her soft southern accent made it difficult for the judges to determine if she had used an "a" or an "e" as the next to the last letter of the word. They deliberated for several minutes and also listened to tape-recorded playbacks, but they still couldn't determine which letter had been pronounced. Finally, the chief judge, John Lloyd, put the question to the only person who knew the answer. He asked Rosalie, "Was the letter an "a" or an "e?"

Rosalie, surrounded by whispering young spellers, knew by now the correct spelling of the word. But without hesitation, she replied that she had misspelled the word and had use an "e."

As she walked from the stage, the entire audience stood and applauded her honesty and integrity, including dozens of newspaper reporters covering the event. While Rosalie had not won the contest, she had definitely come out a winner that day. We often think that who we are determines what we do. Equally true, what you do today will determine, in part what you do tomorrow.

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* When others view our lives today,
Our honesty is on display;
Lord, help us point the way to You
By doing what is right and true.
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Shared by Joe Gatuslao
Bacolod City, Philippines