Don't Blame God
I collect analogies. They help me reveal truth by slightly adjusting perspective. A new friend on Stumble Upon had this one on her home page. Its new to me and I thought I would share it with you. Hope you enjoy.
A preacher and an atheistic barber were once walking through the city slums. Said the barber to the preacher: "This is why I cannot believe in a God of love. If God was as kind as you say, He would not permit all this poverty, disease, and squalor. He would not allow these poor bums to be addicted to dope and other character-destroying habits. No, I cannot believe in a God who permits these things."
The minister was silent until they met a man who was especially unkempt and filthy. His hair was hanging down his neck and he had a half-inch of stubble on his face. Said the minister: "You must not be a very good barber because you wouldn't permit a man like that to continue living in this neighborhood without a haircut and shave." Indignantly the barber answered: "Why blame me for that man's condition? I can't help it that he is like that. He has never come in my shop; I could fix him up and make him look like a gentleman!"
Giving the barber a penetrating look, the minister said: "Then don't blame God for allowing the people to continue in their evil ways, when He is constantly inviting them to come and be saved."
On the same site is this little jewel. This is why we must use our judgment. You are going to find good information and bad information mixed together in this life. You have to use wisdom to discern what is good from what sounds good.
Conservatives have been exercising this foolish principal for decades and look where its gotten us. I now know this to be a foolish notion because when truth and reason is not explained, the enemy can make false charges against your character and the friend can be convinced your motives are not right. Worse, the bystanders get only the false impression left by the false charges. Not only do you have to stand for what you believe in, you have to explain why you believe it, and you'd better do it in a way that makes knowledge desirable. Whether my enemy believes me is not the point. That his charges against me are accepted by others is the point. That was George Bush's greatest failing as president of the United States of America, not torture, not the national security initiative, not even the spending, but explaining to the nation and the world why these were necessary actions and demonstrating our judicious military restraint.
My friend's page is choc full of really good stuff, so I am not knocking her at all. I'm just saying the best pages, minds, and messages can have some bad stuff mixed in. We have to be vigilant about what we take to be good every minute.
Here's one more from her page that is new to me and useful.
One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends! Pass this on to friends and acquaintances and help them refresh their perspective and appreciation.
Life is too short and friends are too few!
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Comments
The balance is a vast void of human ignorance. Human
reason cannot fully function in such a void; thus, the
intellect can rise no higher than the criteria by which it
perceives and measures values.
However, as with all measuring systems, a standard
must be greater than the value measured. Based on
preponderant ignorance and an egocentric carnal
nature, humanism demotes reason to the simpleton
task of excuse-making in behalf of the rule of appe-
tites, desires, feelings, emotions, - and glands.
cannot invent criteria greater than himself, the humanist
lacks a predictive capability. Thus, his man-made criteria
a functional faith while not-so-patiently awaiting the
foot-dragging growth of human knowledge and behav-
ior. Faith, initiated by the Creator and revealed and
validated in His Word, the Bible, brings a transcend-
ent standard to man the choice-maker. Other philo-
sophies and religions are man-made, humanism, and
thereby lack what only the Bible has:
2.Fulfilled Prophetic Validation.
equipment for today and the future. Only the Creator,
who made us in His own image, is qualified to define
us accurately.
My favorite parable is of the Good Samaritan. Most people get the "everyone is your neighbor" part, but they always fail to see the deeper meaning. The Jewish people took the "don't intermarry" part of the Mosaic law quite literally. However, their other Israelite brothers in Samaria had been previously taken captive and lived amongst "the Gentiles" and eventually intermarried with them. The Jews considered them vile and unclean, lower than a Gentile, just above an animal. The Jews of the time would mock them and ridicule them.
Jesus was teaching a very deep lesson about how they were supposed to love everyone, including their Samaritan brothers. He showed this by also showing the so-called "great" in their society, the Levite, the High Priest, etc. that ignored the poor man on the road were less than the kind Samaritan who showed compassion on a Jew.
Judge, Madonna is a blasphemous Apostate.
Judge, you know the book of Jude is the book for 2day, it is short, but it is plainly saying that we must defend the faith now.