Office Musings

I once heard this story somewhere, possibly as an illustration in a Ravi Zacharias sermon, where there was a man who stood in a marketplace to tell the people the truth. Day and night, rain and shine, he would be there, shouting at the top of his voice, the truth he believes in.

At first, he was a novelty and a curios. Then he was a bore. He finally became an irritant, and a liability to the marketplace. They hurled their insults at him, their rotten vegetables and meat, and ridiculed the things he was saying. They threw him out of the marketplace, and chastised all those who would pause to listen to what he had to hear.

“Have nothing to do with his nonsense, unless you are as mad as he is”, they would say.

Yet the man persisted in his task.

Finally, a little boy walked over to ask him why he does what he’s been doing. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just walk amongst the crowd, and whisper to a few at a time, or just keep it to himself? Why does he want to incur the wrath of everyone by shouting at the top of his voice, the things that he proclaims?

The man replies, “I used to shout at the marketplace place because I hope for as many people as possible to hear what I have to say. Now, I keep on shouting at the top of my voice to keep myself from forgetting what I wanted others to hear.”

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I learn a little more about myself everyday. This story really struck a chord in me. I realized that sometimes, I’m pretty much doing the same thing. I say the same thing over and over again, and I bore everyone out with basically the same words on my blog. A little bit abt my church life, and a lot more abt my lack of a love life. Of my ideals in a r/s that I’m struggling to keep from compromising, and the little things in the ministry that I always am amazed at, and give thanks for.

For the ways in which Henry and Bernice always provide such a model of servanthood that never fails to humble me everytime I like to entertain the thought that I’m doing more than a lotta pple I see…

For how they’ve also been such ceaseless servants in the ministry that I’ve never hard them whine abt needing to take a break from serving… and how tiring as the ministry may be, somehow we continue to serve with thankful and joyful hearts. And its such a rare trait to find in churches nowadays… pple who dun whine abt how tired they are, but are able to exhibit joy in their selfless service.

I think the day I stop repeating these things to myself, is the day I’ve totally forgotten that which I shd have kept close to my heart. The things that the world is constantly seeking to drown out, but that which I need to always remind myself in order to keep my heart tender enough for His word and His Truth to saturate into my soul.