In his book The Fisherman and His Friends, Louis Albert Banks tells of two men who were assigned to stand watch on a ship out at sea. During the night the waves from a raging storm washed one of them overboard. The sailor who drowned had been in the most sheltered place, while the one who survived was more exposed to the elements. What made the difference? The man who was lost had nothing to hold on to.
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Was David paranoid? Did he think the whole world was out to get him? You might get that impression as you read through some of his psalms. Look at a few of the statements he made:
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In 1861, during the US Civil War, author and lecturer Julia Ward Howe visited Washington, DC. One day she went outside the city and saw a large number of soldiers marching. Early the next morning she awoke with words for a song in her mind.
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Just a few miles from New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns is Lechuguilla Cave. Explorers who have descended into its interior describe a wonderland whose beauty is beyond almost anything they have ever seen.
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Surprise! Surprise! The eleven apostles had gathered together on the day of Jesus’ resurrection. They were discussing the strange happenings of the past few days, and had just listened to a report from two men who said they had seen Jesus. Suddenly He was there! Then the Savior said, “Peace to you” (Luke 24:36).
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Years ago, a young boy wandered from case to case in a candy store, trying to decide what to buy. His mother, tired of waiting, called, “Hurry up and spend your money! We must be going.” To this he replied, “But Mom, I only have one penny, so I’ve got to spend it carefully.”
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I heard about an ethics professor who serves as a consultant in major ethical dilemmas and legal cases all over the world. Again and again he provides deep insights into complex moral questions, and his opinions have influenced corporate decisions of global significance. But the professor himself is not ethical. He cheats on his wife, and he embarrasses the university by his public behavior.
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In his famous painting titled A Helping Hand, Emile Renouf depicted an old fisherman seated in a boat, with a young girl beside him. Both the elderly gentleman and the child have their hands on a huge oar. The fisherman is looking down fondly and admiringly at the girl.
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I once read about a distraught Christian woman who was extremely upset because her children had become unruly. She telephoned her husband at work one day and tearfully described the visit of a friend who had pinned this verse above the kitchen sink: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). The friend had meant well. She was trying to be helpful, but her action just made the mom feel even more like a failure.
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Margaret Wise Brown is known for her simple yet profound books for children. One of my favorites is The Runaway Bunny. It’s about a little bunny who tells his mother he has decided to run away.
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