The Little Engine That Could

Most of us have heard of the story of “The Little Engine That Could”.  The moral of the story was to teach children the value of confidence.

The “little engine” was the only one who was willing to pull the train over the tall mountain.  All the other engines were either too new and proud or too old and rusty, but they all made fun of the little engine.  The little engine just said, “I think I can, I think I can.” Finally, the little engine made it over the top and down the other side.  “I thought I could, I thought I could” rejoiced the little engine.

Almost everyone admires this trait, so what is a biblical perspective of confidence?   We often find secular confidence in wealth, skill or ability, but a spiritual view of confidence comes from a difference source.  That source is God himself.

Jesus said in Mark 10:27, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”  In Numbers 13, the ten spies returned with a description of the land of Canaan.  The report was that the place was amazing, but the people unbeatable and the Israelites should give up and turn back.  Caleb, one of the spies, disagreed: “Let us go up at once, and possess it.”  Do you think Caleb was cocky and brash?  No, because the Lord had said that the land was theirs, and he simply believed God.  Do you believe God?

God-confidence is a mighty weapon when used in our lives.  It will overcome depression, doubt, and defeat if we will let it.  For the Christian, our battle cry is this: “I know He can, I know He can.”  When we win victories, we then say, “I knew He could, I knew He could!”

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