Fire and Brush

A father and his son went out one day to cut a path through the forest. After working a while, they started a fire to burn the brush they had already cleared. The father lit a match and, starting small, added more and more brush to the fire. Then they went back into the woods. When they returned with another load, the fire was almost completely out, just a few flickers and some hot coals. To the son's surprise, the father threw an entire bundle of brush onto the fire at once. Surely what was meant to be fuel for the fire would put it out completely! The boy was wrong, however, and the father knew exactly what he was doing. If he understood anything, he understood fire. In his wisdom, the father would never put too much brush on it. What's more, the fire that began small was larger this time...and even larger the next!

Sometimes it may seem that God has put too many trials and sufferings on the hearts and lives of his children. Surely the suffering he has allotted to us with quench our faith. And if not, what's the purpose anyway? I'd like to remind you of two things. First, the loving father who struck up your flicker of faith will never let it burn out. There will be times when the brush lays heavy. When you can't see a flame. When all there seems to be is some hot coals. But God will not allow your faith to burn out. The second thing is this: God intends to strengthen your faith under the brush. When this trial is through (or even in it's midst) it will burn brighter than you ever have before. True faith, when tested by trials, always burns through.

Learning from Unbelievers

Although much about how the world is makes sense through a biblical lens, I've come to realize the value of hearing things from an unbelievers perspective. It can be tempting to write off most of what they say because we think it's 'not true.' But just because they don't have the same picture of the Creator and his creation that we do, doesn't mean they don't have genuine experiences or know true things about this world. 

For example: I've heard the cry of an unbelieving heart against the injustice that runs rampant in this cruel, sin stricken world. I've seen the hurt of an unbelieving heart over the betrayal of a friend. I've heard the helplessness of an unbelieving soul apart from the sustaining life and guiding hand of God Almighty. I've watched unbelievers offer up true thanksgiving, though they do not know who to thank for their life, their food, their family. 

Don't tell me that they see no truth
Their broken hearts still work
While they may not have answers yet
True questions still do lurk

I believe we have much to learn from our fellow humans. A good friend told me the other day that we are all born with a natural bend toward good. After some original sin red flags shot up, I realized that she was right. People do seek to do good. Yes, sin is always present, and all are guilty before God. But that doesn't negate the fact that people are born knowing good and evil, and that they ought to practice the good. Now that's grace.