A Jot from John
In a cave in the hills near a village there lived a peculiar old man with a long beard. He was known for his profound wisdom. People from near and far came to him with their questions, asking his advice and counsel. His answers were always correct. It seemed he was above making a mistake.
Two boys decided to trick the old man. Their plan was to catch a bird alive. Then one boy would hold the bird in his hands so it could not be seen. They would go to the cave and ask the old man this question: “Is the bird I have in my hands alive or is it dead?” If he answered “alive”, then the boy would quickly squeeze the little bird in his hands and kill it and then open his hands and the old man would be wrong. If the wise man said, “The bird is dead,” all the boy would have to do was open his hands and let the bird fly away. The boys approached the cave with what they thought was a foolproof plan. They asked the question. The man thought for a few moments and then gave the wise and thought-provoking reply: “That depends on you. His life is in your hands.”
Have you given thought to the fact that your life is in your hands? “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deut. 30:16). Think of the tremendous responsibility. Your life can be a blessing or a curse. You can leave behind you a trail of happiness and joy or a trail of misery and woe. You can mend hearts or break hearts. You can be a somebody or a nobody. You can be a contribution or a liability. In a very real sense, by our choices we determine our eternal destiny. What a sober and solemn thought! The Bible says, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Onward Rejoicing,
John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
