Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Will You Stand?”
“Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you'll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it! Write it out on the back of your hands; etch it on the chambers of your heart. Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion. They'll be with you to fend off the Temptress— that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seductress.” – Proverbs 7:1-5 (MSG)

A woman bought a parrot to keep her company but returned it the next day. "This bird doesn't talk," she told the owner. "Does he have a mirror in his cage?" he asked. "Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start a conversation." The woman bought a mirror and left. The next day, she was back; the bird still wasn't talking. "How about a ladder? Parrots love ladders. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot." The woman bought a ladder and left. But the next day, she was back. "Does your parrot have a swing? No? Well, that's the problem. Once he starts swinging, he'll talk up a storm." The woman reluctantly bought a swing and left. When she walked into the store the next day she was sad and downcast. "The parrot died," she said. The pet store owner was shocked! "I'm so sorry. Tell me, did he ever say a word?" he asked. "Yes, right before he died," the woman replied. "In a weak voice he asked me, 'Don't they sell any food at that pet store?'" The moral of the story is to always make sure to keep the main thing the main thing! From the very beginning of the book of Proverbs this has been the theme—there is nothing as important as the Word and the Commands of God. Any attempt to skirt around that issue will end in failure—just ask the parrot. O, you can’t…he’s dead. It makes you wonder how many through the centuries have fallen prey to the “seductress,” that voice of persuasion that has lured even the noblest of individuals.

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” – Revelation 19:1, 2

Maybe the question to ask is, “How strong are you when it comes to your faith?” Are you easily persuaded to follow the voice that is the loudest? I came across the following illustration some years ago. I cannot validate its authenticity but I ask the question…what if? What if our faith was challenged? What would you do? Would you stand…or be persuaded to sit back? There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone against him because of his reputation. At the end of every semester on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the floor and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into several pieces. All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist.
Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for twenty years, they too, had been to afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll. He was Christian, and had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the class for his major and he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said, or what the class thought. Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith...he hoped. Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hits the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg and off his shoe. As it hit the floor, it simply rolled away unbroken. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then he ran out of the lecture hall. The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of room and shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. Three hundred students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of His power through Jesus. Whose voice is louder in your life? Whose power of persuasion is stronger? That is the voice we will drawn to. My hope and prayer is that it is the voice of wisdom and life.
Pastor J. T. Carnell