The Box
February 14, 2011
Dear Friends,
Two men, Abe and Bart, are traveling in a backward, remote country when they are arrested on trumped up charges. While they are in captivity, their jailers stick each of them in a small wooden box not much bigger than a coffin. They are otherwise comfortable in this box, but are very constrained in movement only able to lie down and turn over.
Once Abe is in the box, he begins to pray. He prays,
Lord, I don’t know why you have lead me to being in this box, but I trust you. In fact, Lord, I thank you for this trial because I know that I either need this or that somehow you will be glorified in this act. In any event, Lord, I have peace knowing that you have all of the power and that all things are under your control. Let the peace that passeth all understanding be upon me. Bless my persecutors. Let me shine my light before them so that they may see how I react in this trial and glorify you. Help me to thrive in any and all circumstances.
His friend, Bart, on the other hand, began to think to himself.
This box is so small. What if I can’t breathe? What if I have to go to the bathroom? How long will I be in here? Are they going to bury me? Are they going to torture me? How am I going to eat? Are they going to feed me? I wish I could get out of here. I wish I could be home. I wish I didn’t go on this trip in the first place. I’d do anything to be back in my own house now. I don’t think I can stay in here much longer. I wonder if I will die in here?
In his panic, Bart begins to push, beat and scratch on the sides of the box.
Eight hours later, the misunderstanding is worked out and the guards come to release Abe and Bart from their respective boxes. When they open Abe’s box, he is asleep. They actually have to wake him up. He wakes feeling better than he has in months because he has finally had eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Bart, on the other hand, has suffered a nervous breakdown. The injuries he has sustained from his attempts to get out of the box will require hospitalization as well.
My friends, we are all in our own box. We are here on this earth in circumstances not of our own choosing. How are we going to react? Are we, like Abe, going to make the best of our circumstances and rejoice in the Lord in whatever conditions we find ourselves? Are we going to be like Bart and let that deceitful mind spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah cause us to worry, fret and panic us into a nervous breakdown? The circumstances of both men were exactly the same. The only difference in each of their circumstances was their thinking.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.(Phil. 4:8,9)
Have a great week,
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