Birds, shallow soil, thorns, fertile soil.
A long time ago, four boys went to a revival meeting. The four of them were equally skeptical and equally intelligent, with no real need for religion or God, and approached the event with a great deal of apprehension and uncertainty.
At the event, they found themselves unexpectedly moved to tears as they acknowledged their feelings of guilt and wretchedness. They recognized their "sin", and were touched by the story of Christ's perfect sacrifice for them on the Cross. They went to the front of the stage when the preacher called for responses, and gave their lives to Jesus, weeping as they knelt, and invited this Jesus into their lives.
Then, they went home, drying their tears from their eyes. They all slept well that night.
The next day, one boy went for his classes and heard his Biology professor launch an irate polemic against the pitifully primitive Young Earth theorists, and their 'pals', the ignorant Creationists. Then, he walked into a Finance lecture where he rigorously took down everything his lecturer said, and daydreamed about investment banking. After that, he sat in the second row of a Philosophy lecture where his instructor challenged his auditorium-packed crowd if anyone believed in absolute truth or moral absolutism. He left the lecture fifteen minutes early so that he could put the finishing touches on a paper critiquing Richard Dawkins. He likes Dawkins much more now. Then, he goes home.
The same day, another boy woke up feeling full of life and excitement for the new day and the new life that the preacher had talked about the night before. He gripped his newly-bound leather Bible and rushed to catch the bus to school. On the bus, a man in a well-pressed suit scoffs at his naivety. A girl giggles and calls him old-fashioned before scurrying off. In his History class, his lecturer noticed his ornament and from his elevated podium, and challenged the historical authenticity of the boy's Bible. Embarrassed, the boy blushed, and put his book back in his bag. He tries not to be seen.
Another boy spent the first fifteen minutes of his morning reading the material the preacher's assistant handed out. He tried to do his "quiet time" and read about "word becoming flesh". He was confused. He tried to follow along with the ancient text, and was just enthralled by its spirituality. He repeated his routine all week long, starting his day this way. He read about sharing his faith with others, and telling the world about the change in his life, about being a "new creation", but he was afraid. Now, he reads his Bible in between classes, but always under the table. He never talks about what he knows he should. Sometimes he forgets to pray. Every now and then, he forgets to be quiet in his "quiet time". Yesterday, he decided to leave his Facebook description for religion blank.
The last boy felt absolutely nothing different the next day, and got out of bed. He read the material the preacher's assistant had handed out, and tried to do his "quiet time". He didn't understand about the "word becoming flesh", but was happy to learn something new. A quiet joy was burning in his heart, and he alone knew why. He was in love. On the bus, he told his girlfriend that he had become a Christian. She was worried that he would become political, or even a fanatic, one of those Jesus freaks. He told her that he was spiritual, not religious, and that Jesus was his best friend. She wants to know what this means. He tells her. She is impressed and wants to know more. In his heart, he prays, "Jesus, make me brave, make me bold. Help me to love the way you do. I want to love, and share the greatest thing that ever happened to me, but I'm scared. I'm just a kid, you are so much more. Help me please." Best friends don't let each other down.
At the event, they found themselves unexpectedly moved to tears as they acknowledged their feelings of guilt and wretchedness. They recognized their "sin", and were touched by the story of Christ's perfect sacrifice for them on the Cross. They went to the front of the stage when the preacher called for responses, and gave their lives to Jesus, weeping as they knelt, and invited this Jesus into their lives.
Then, they went home, drying their tears from their eyes. They all slept well that night.
The next day, one boy went for his classes and heard his Biology professor launch an irate polemic against the pitifully primitive Young Earth theorists, and their 'pals', the ignorant Creationists. Then, he walked into a Finance lecture where he rigorously took down everything his lecturer said, and daydreamed about investment banking. After that, he sat in the second row of a Philosophy lecture where his instructor challenged his auditorium-packed crowd if anyone believed in absolute truth or moral absolutism. He left the lecture fifteen minutes early so that he could put the finishing touches on a paper critiquing Richard Dawkins. He likes Dawkins much more now. Then, he goes home.
The same day, another boy woke up feeling full of life and excitement for the new day and the new life that the preacher had talked about the night before. He gripped his newly-bound leather Bible and rushed to catch the bus to school. On the bus, a man in a well-pressed suit scoffs at his naivety. A girl giggles and calls him old-fashioned before scurrying off. In his History class, his lecturer noticed his ornament and from his elevated podium, and challenged the historical authenticity of the boy's Bible. Embarrassed, the boy blushed, and put his book back in his bag. He tries not to be seen.
Another boy spent the first fifteen minutes of his morning reading the material the preacher's assistant handed out. He tried to do his "quiet time" and read about "word becoming flesh". He was confused. He tried to follow along with the ancient text, and was just enthralled by its spirituality. He repeated his routine all week long, starting his day this way. He read about sharing his faith with others, and telling the world about the change in his life, about being a "new creation", but he was afraid. Now, he reads his Bible in between classes, but always under the table. He never talks about what he knows he should. Sometimes he forgets to pray. Every now and then, he forgets to be quiet in his "quiet time". Yesterday, he decided to leave his Facebook description for religion blank.
The last boy felt absolutely nothing different the next day, and got out of bed. He read the material the preacher's assistant had handed out, and tried to do his "quiet time". He didn't understand about the "word becoming flesh", but was happy to learn something new. A quiet joy was burning in his heart, and he alone knew why. He was in love. On the bus, he told his girlfriend that he had become a Christian. She was worried that he would become political, or even a fanatic, one of those Jesus freaks. He told her that he was spiritual, not religious, and that Jesus was his best friend. She wants to know what this means. He tells her. She is impressed and wants to know more. In his heart, he prays, "Jesus, make me brave, make me bold. Help me to love the way you do. I want to love, and share the greatest thing that ever happened to me, but I'm scared. I'm just a kid, you are so much more. Help me please." Best friends don't let each other down.
posted by leb at 9:01 PM
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