Wasn’t it Theodore Roosevelt who once said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”?— According to Scholastic’s book Everything You Need to Know About the Presidents, indeed it was. I should know because back in fourth grade, I would comb through that book every night looking for more fascinating facts about America’s great leaders. (Please tell me I’m not the only weirdo who did this as a kid?…🤓🤷♀️🤣)
The chapters on Lincoln and Washington were obviously two of my favorites❤️ …but in the spirit of fairness, I also read the sections dedicated to the “Grover Clevelands” and the “Millard Fillmores” of the Oval Office, too. 😉
But then there was Theodore Roosevelt…
There’s always been something endearing to me about that big lug — a man who by all accounts was a leader with a heart that was both soft and strong (…the likes of which could rival Charmin and Cottonelle hands down, if you know what I mean…🤭😂).
…But seriously, his reputation for strength and compassion lives on to this day and explains why his likeness is not only permanently chiseled into a mountainside monument — but why he is also immortalized as the namesake of one of the softest, cuddliest, and most beloved children’s toys of all time, the “Teddy Bear.”
Despite all of his Presidential accolades, by far the most compelling story I remember reading about Teddy Roosevelt happened long before he stepped foot in the White House. It is that of the tragic passing of both his mother and his young wife, who died within hours of each other…on the same day, in the same house…(on Valentine’s Day no less! 🥺)
His mother was only 48 and his wife a mere 22 — she had just given birth to their first daughter only two days prior. 💔😭 On that tragic day in 1884, the future president wrote in his diary, “The light has gone out of my life.”
I can’t begin to imagine the enormous weight of shock, pain, grief, and confusion he must have carried during those dark days. It’s moments like these that can either make or break a person — When the waters are deep, they say you either sink or you swim.
Or…if you’re Teddy Roosevelt…you run.
And I don’t mean for office…I mean he like literally ran away 😱 —abandoning both his political career and his newborn daughter to become a cattle rancher out west for the next 2 years. Not the kind of “pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps” reaction you’d expect from a “Rough Rider” like Roosevelt — who at one point in his life even took a bullet to the chest mid-speech without flinching (and kept on talkin’). 😳😳😳
But hey, cut the guy some slack…it’s not like he’s the first great leader to ever run from his problems. Nosirree…in fact, his story reminds me a lot of another great leader who, coincidentally, also believed in speaking softly and carrying a big stick — literally.
If you remember the story of Moses, before God used that big stick of his to part the waters of the Red Sea, he had a few setbacks of his own…abandonment, adoption, and murder were all a part of his story…leading him to run away to Midian when God’s people needed him most. But after 40 years of self-imposed exile, with God’s guidance and power, he went on to lead an entire nation to the promised land…turns out the speaking softly and carrying a big stick thing really works when God’s on your side. ❤️
Teddy Roosevelt eventually came to his senses as well and coincidentally would later go on to lead an entire nation, with a similar philosophy. 🇺🇸
I love stories about people who make comebacks — ordinary humans with messy stories who are ultimately overcomers. People who make mistakes, but then make things right — stories of their triumph against the odds. Reminds me there is hope for the rest of us.
And I don’t think my affinity for these accounts is simply by happenstance —Rather, I would argue it is all by Devine design. God gave us the ability to feel and think for a reason…and the Bible says He has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I think we’re meant to be moved by these types of stories, because they really are microcosms that point to what our hearts are really searching for…the ultimate story of triumph and overcoming – Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection!
Christ made the ultimate comeback when he arose from the grave and came to life after death. And through Him, his followers are also over-comers (Romans 8:37).
Turns out, we’re all living a comeback story…Ever read Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son? (Luke 15:11-32) It’s the one about the son who ran away from the comforts of his Father’s home to live a wasteful and wanton lifestyle until he had nothing left to his name. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. Eventually, the prodigal son humbly comes home to his father who is waiting for him with open arms.
Friends, this isn’t just a story about a prodigal son. This story represents us and our relationship with God. We have all run away from God at some point (Romans 3:23-24)…we’ve made a mess of our lives, but it’s never too late to come back. In fact, it’s the most important comeback you’ll ever make. And just like the gracious father in the parable, God is waiting patiently with open arms for your return.
As Christian, you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll sink or swim when times get rough and the waters are deep. Putting our faith in Christ and keeping our eyes on Him, we can walk on water.
Until next time…
-PWAP
