STICKS AND STONES

Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll, once shared a story regarding an incident that happened during the Korean war. This was a war fought between the Republic of Korea (South Korea and supported by the United Nations) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea and supported by China and the Soviet Union). Swindoll communicated that a group of four (4) American GI’s, who were serving in Korea, decided to rent a house in the local village there in South Korea where they were stationed. They also decided to hire for themselves a local house-boy to cook and keep the house clean. Therefore, they hired this one particular houseboy [a South Korean lad] because he appeared to be mild mannered and good spirited. And because these fun-loving soldiers believed him to be mild mannered and good spirited, for the next few weeks these soldiers pulled prank after prank on this young Korean lad as he worked in their rented home. For example…

1. One morning as the lad slipped his feet into his sandals, he immediately tumbled over when he attempted to take the first step because these fun-loving soldiers had nailed his shoes to the floor. The lad said nothing to the soldiers about it. He simply removed the nails from his sandals and the floor and went about his daily chores.

2. On another occasion when he went into the kitchen to prepare dinner, he discovered the soldiers had deliberately poured grease all over the top of the stove and down into the burners. This of course meant before he could get underway with cooking their meal, he first had to clean all the grease from the stove top surface, as well as all the grease which had been deliberately poured down into the burners. As before, the lad said nothing to the soldiers about it. He simply cleaned up all the mess and went about his daily chores.

3. Still on another occasion as the lad was entering the house with an arm full of groceries one evening, the soldiers had rigged a pale of water above the door which immediately spilled down all over him and the groceries he was carrying as he entered the house. The boy showed no emotion but simply cleaned up the mess and quietly prepared their meal.

Finally, after several weeks, these American soldiers felt sorry for the good-mannered Korean lad and said to one another, “Hey, enough is enough. This kid has had to contend with everything we have thrown at him over the last few weeks, and he simply takes it in stride and never even gets angry.”

So, the four soldiers called the young boy in and confessed their mischief and apologized to the lad for all of their pranks.

The young boy was surprised by their confession, so he looked up and asked, “No more nail shoes to floor?” They responded, “No more nail shoes to floor.” “No more grease on stove?” “No more grease on stove,” they replied. Lastly, he asked, “No more water over door?” The soldiers replied, “No, no more water over door.” The boy looked up into the faces of each of them to determine their sincerity. Satisfied with what he heard and what he saw in their faces, he replied, “Okay… no more spit in your soup!”

Perhaps at times we find ourselves also walking in the same sandals worn by this little Korean lad when circumstances in our lives begin to spin out of our control. Have you and I ever dawned a big smile for our boss, our friends, our coworkers, and yes—our neighbors, despite the fact that inwardly they are getting on our very last saved nerve? How about when people we thought were our friends begin intentionally excluding us from functions, which we all once enjoyed together? That can be very painful whether we admit it or not. So, to spite them we simply find ourselves pretending we are totally unaffected by their words, their actions, and their exclusion of us.

Sure, on the surface, and in front of others we appear to be in good-spirits, mild-mannered, carefree and untroubled. However, if the truth be known, inwardly aren’t we really spitting in the soup, harboring thoughts which we dare not speak or share with others?

In the book of Daniel 6:1-5, we find the following:

1Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. 2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests.

3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

Of course, the remainder of Daniel, chapter 6 reveals how the other administrators and officers who were jealous of Daniel tricked King Darius into signing into law a decree that anyone found worshipping anything or anyone other than him over the next thirty days would be cast into the den of lions. When Daniel discovered the decree had been signed into law, he did not hesitate continuing to kneel and worship God three times a day without fail. This story is very familiar to Bible readers. When Daniel was cast into the den of hungry, savage lions, God shut the mouths of the lions and Daniel remained unharmed throughout the night he spent with those lions. However, the next morning when Daniel, being unharmed, was removed from the den of lions, those who had tricked King Darius into having Daniel thrown into the lions’ den suffered a horrific fate when they themselves and their entire families were cast into the same den of lions.

God intervened in Daniel’s life and circumstances, shutting the mouths of hungry lions. Perhaps it was because Daniel’s life truly exemplified what Jesus declared in Matthew 5:16 that we as believers are to

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”.

What about you and me today, are we really reflecting God’s light in our homes, our communities, our relationships, our jobs, publicly and privately? Of course, the bigger question is… do we really want to reflect His light in the presence of those around us? When my siblings and I were children, there were times when other kids said ugly, mean things to us, and we would always respond, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt me.”

But whether we admit it or not, words really do hurt and harm, and when we refuse to admit it, and fail to trust Christ for inner strength to 1) cease from retaliating and 2) for strength to reflect His light to those around us no matter our circumstances, we are simply left smiling on the outside while spitting in the soup on the inside. Let’s live lives honoring to God as Daniel did, and trust our Lord for the results. He is more than worthy of our love and obedience.

Perhaps you may want to join me in the following prayer:

Dear God my Father, give me the strength to persevere and trust You in all things, whether in sickness and in health, in the good times as well as challenging times. Not only did You call us to eternal life through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ at Calvary, but You empowered each of us with Your indwelling Holy Spirit at the moment we trusted in Christ’s sacrifice for the remission of our sin. Thank You for the power to overcome the attacks and deceptions from the enemy of our soul, our Adamic nature, and the ungodly lures of the worldly system around us. Help us to daily call upon Your power to reflect Your light despite the sticks and stones and the harsh words we sometimes have to endure. Give us faith to trust You completely in all things, and may our lives truly and daily bring glory and honor to You. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Our responsibility is simply to make our witness faithful; it is God’s responsibility alone to make it effective.”

John MacArthur

John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. is an American Reformed Baptist pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio and television program Grace to You. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California, since February 9, 1969.

© May 2022

Vanderbilt Brabson III

“Guys…this is Missile Morgan”

Seeking to overcome the scars from her abusive, alcoholic father, Jesse Cartwright, Anthony’s best friend from childhood, is determined to make something of her life. Tomboyish in every way, at times her stubbornness puts her in direct conflict with Anthony’s other friends. A born fighter, she ultimately proves to be tougher than every boy in the neighborhood and the only friend Anthony can really count on. As Anthony battles his inner demons in his march toward glory, and Jesse struggles through her own personal tragedies and loss, their paths grow apart. Eventually the two dis- cover their lives are somehow intertwined and neither will truly realize his or her dreams without the other.

Surpassing the expectations his father had for him, Anthony Morgan is poised to be the biggest phenomenon baseball has seen in years. Anthony’s future is set. He has worked hard for it, dreamed about it all his life, and can practically taste it! However, what Anthony could not foresee was the untimely death of his father—his mentor and hero. This tragedy started a downward spiral of bad decisions, which ultimately threaten Anthony’s life and future in baseball. Beyond the Lies is as captivating as The Natural, as compelling as Love Comes Softly, and at times as humorous as Diary of a Mad Black Woman. It’s a coming of age story that will appeal to the young and old, the sports enthusiast, the romantic, those gripped by human tragedy, and those who celebrate the triumph of the human spirit.

Author Mr. Vanderbilt Brabson, III

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