Spelling Bee

Elliot Huck, a 14-year-old from Bloomington, Indiana, decided to skip a preliminary to the National Spelling Bee. Though he placed 45th out of more than 250 spellers in last year's competition and was a favored to go again, he felt convicted to stay home this time around. More precisely, he felt convicted to stay in church. The 2007 Bloomington Herald-Times championship was held on March 4, 2007—a Sunday. In Huck's eyes, the competition conflicted with his view of the biblical commandment to rest on the Sabbath.

"I always try to glorify God with what I do in the spelling bee because he is the one who gave me the talent for spelling," said Elliot. "Now I think I'm going to not spell and try to give glory to God in that."

It certainly wasn't an easy choice for Elliot. He loved his time in Washington D.C. at last year's competition and was looking forward to more of the same. Even so, the expert speller concluded, "I have just accepted that God knows what's best, and I'm just going to do what he says."

He’s learned the secret: Whether he’s liked or he’s hated; whether he’s understood or he’s rejected; whether you agree with him or think he’s flipped his lid, he has his heart wrapped around God. He’s sincerely serving whether he gets to do the thing he wants or not. He is serving sincerely, and here’s the most important thing about it: That’s the kind of person God will call. That’s the one God has on speed dial. God calls those who serve sincerely and those who serve practically, but he also calls those who