HUMILITY: A Very Present Help!

“that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:16

Missouri has one of the greatest tourist attractions in America. It’s called Pro Bass Shop, which is located in Springfield. This place is a sportsman’s paradise.

Any sportsman who goes there will think he has died and gone to heaven. The store must cover a hundred acres: it has live fish ponds, indoors; a full-service McDonald’s, indoors; an indoor firing range for your new deer rifle; small cabin cruisers, also indoors; and every fishing lure known to modern man.

On one of our two trips to this sportsmen’s smorgasbord, we sat by a live fish pond; one with decorative stumps and rocks for turtle sunbathing. Only they were indoors, so I guess they were “fluorescenting” themselves.

At any rate, we were all chuckling at this one turtle perched on top of a wooden pole. Now the turtle’s little legs hung over the edge of the pole and it was at least 18 inches out of the water.

Every time I think of that little critter I’m reminded of a turtle on a lamp-post in Alex Haley’s office. Haley, author of Roots, said it was there to remind him it needed help to get there, he didn’t do it on his own. So too, the turtle at the Pro Bass Shop.

We must all remember that we didn't get where we are by ourselves … we don’t live or exist in a vacuum. Priscilla and Aquila needed Paul’s help; Paul needed Barnabas and Silas; and so on! We all need God’s help.

Christianity, Humility, Illustrations, Religion

APOSTASY: What the world now calls backsliding!

GOING BLIND SILENTLY: [Proverbs 29:18a]

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law.

Without warning, Jane Berry's father went blind in one eye; the cause was glaucoma. He immediately encouraged his 26-year-old daughter to be tested; she was shocked to learn she also had the eye disease.

Often called "tunnel vision," glaucoma destroys peripheral or side vision. It's caused by a build-up of fluid pressure inside the eye; the eye can't tolerate the pressure, so the main nerve transmitting vision to the brain is damaged. The change is so subtle that by the time a person realizes they have a problem, it's usually too late. Sort of like the proverbial frog in the kettle.

Estimates suggest over 67 million people have glaucoma globally, of whom nearly seven million will go blind owing to late diagnosis or inadequate treatment.

Glaucoma is now the second most common cause of vision loss worldwide and a major factor in car and pedestrian accidents. Doctors urge everyone over 40 to be tested, especially now that a new more effective treatment, with fewer side effects, can help people with glaucoma. One drop per day reduces eye pressure in up to 90 percent of patients who submit to the treatments.

Although it hasn't occur without "warning," the body of Christ is suffering from a similar and untreated problem with its vision. Many, especially the young, truly believe it won't happen to them. The Bible warns, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained."

Is there any longer any doubt that "the people are unrestrained"? A people can’t lay hold of the "hope set before [them]" [Hebrews 6:18; cf. Philippians 3:14] if they don't have a vision for that hope. In fact, neither you nor your church can move forward without vision.

Often called "backsliding," apostasy destroys faith and practice. It is brought about by a hardening of the heart. An undernourished heart can't stand secular pressure, so the link between the heart and the mind is damaged. The change is so subtle that by the time a person or church senses the problem they are already apostate. In many cases, we can watch as the Body goes silently blind.

Estimates are that over three quarters of the church in America is has lost its vision, of which more than half are virtual apostates. Sin is the primary cause of apostasy and is the leading cause of individual and family failures in this land.

Since September 11, 2006, church leaders throughout the land have been pleading with the people to get treatment. It's free! The treatment is simple, go to the Word and nourish the heart.

Estimates are that 75 percent of those who do will be cured; the remaining 25 percent can't be cured because they don't have apostasy, they suffer from unbelief. But, Praise the Lord, there's a cure for unbelief also, and it is free! [Ephesians 2:8]

LOVE: The Greatest Thing God Has Demonstrated!

HE'S NOT OUR SON! [Matthew 28:20]

"and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Herbert Toney, 36, and Latisha Washington, 29, were arrested in October in St. Bernard Parish, just outside New Orleans, and face several charges including abandoning their 8-year-old son.

According to police, the couple instructed the son to go into a Winn-Dixie supermarket and steal groceries and beer. When a security guard stopped him, the boy pointed to his parents nearby. But Toney and Washington matter-of-factly denied knowing the boy, and walked away.

Deputies brought the couple in again a while later, but Washington said only that maybe she had seen the boy around the neighborhood a few times. Finally, she admitted he was her child. [The Times-Picayune, 10-4-02]

The Lord will not leave us nor foresake His children!


BIBLICAL LOVE! [John 15:12-17]

I've been in many services where the preacher, the evangelist, or the teacher told us to turn to a person on the left or right and say, "I love you." But you know, I've never been in a service where anyone told us to turn to the person next to us and say, "I'm willing to die for you!" Yet that's exactly what God said to the whole world.

Love is not a theory; it’s a theorem. You see, we are supposed to demonstrate our love for others, not just say that we love someone. God so loved the world that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God demonstrated His love for us! So now, I tell my congregation to turn to the person next to them, weeping, and say, "I'm willing to die for you!" That's biblical love!


ENJOY YOUR MEAL! [Psalm 23:5a]

Our family has been enjoying a nesting pair of doves. They’ve set up house in a Creeping Charlie, which hangs on our front porch. Mom seems to be there 24/7. Dad? Well, he comes around from time to time ... bringing lunch, perhaps.

Last year they laid a brace of eggs but having a new roof installed scared them away before they hatched. This year ... in fact just a few days ago, two chicks were born and they were born hungry. Now even dad spends time in the nest. I won’t tell you what he does.

Our dog sleeps right under their nest and they aren’t in the least fazed. We also have three cats, who take turns sitting at the screen door several times each day. The cats don’t know about the birds yet ... conversely the birds don’t seem to know about the cats.

I’ve discovered a couple of things from observing these birds. First, mothers, human or otherwise, put up with a great deal. Second, each hatchling has its meals in the presence of its enemies. Yet, unlike you or me, they have no concept of their enemies.

And so shall I be free of fear, for God promises "to prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." Now David has made no distinction whether these were temporal or eternal enemies. However, since I know the Lord is immutable [unchanging], I hold it makes no difference ... He would never have me feast fearlessly in one dimension and not in the other, so great is His love for me.

On the other hand, if you’re like me, your enemies often give you indigestion. So what’s up? Not faith, that’s for sure! I wouldn’t need spiritual Zantac ® if I really lived by faith. Jesus often said to the disciples, "Oh ye of little faith."

He also said, "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." [Matthew 10:28] And, "be not anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself." [Matthew 6:34a]

It certainly isn’t the Lord’s fault that our temporal lives are so full of hobgoblins who give us spiritual reflux.


EVERYONE HAS A BOB! [Matthew 25:31-46]

The following is by Charles Lowery: "What about Bob?"; SBC LIFE, April 2002; Copyright © 2001 Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

There are always a few in every church. When we see them we think of that little Family of God chorus and sing "I'm surprised you're a part of the family of God." God made them fearfully and wonderfully weird. They have the amazing ability to drain the joy right out of the ministry. ... . The porch light is on but no one is home. ... .

When I see them I want to ask, "Where are Moe, Larry, and Curly?" ... . They act so inappropriately at times. They are usually standing when they are supposed to be sitting or talking when they are supposed to be quiet. They aren't cool, quick, or articulate like us. ... .

When everyone else has gone home, they want to talk to you. They usually want to hug you. And there is always one who zeros in on you; you are his hero, his idol, and the person he wants to spend as much time with as he can. They are there after every service, waiting to tell you things you already know. ... . You devise ways of avoiding them. ...

Let's be honest, sometimes you're just rude. You blow them off because your time is too valuable. ... . You say something that cuts them off or you embarrass them with your quick wit and it hurts and it works. Now you're free to do what important people like you do.

A friend of mine told me about someone that drove him crazy. His name was Bob. My friend was grumbling about Bob under his breath, and God was listening.

That night everything changed because God spoke to him as clearly as He had ever spoken before. God said, "You know that fellow, Bob, who is a little slow and never quite gets things right? The one you avoid at all costs? Well, I want you to remember something - compared to Me, you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, either, and you don't get things quite right most of the time. So, the next time Bob starts to bug you, remember you're My Bob."

My own Bob was a lady who rode the van to our church. ... . When I had important things to do, I would try to sneak by without her seeing me. She always saw me and would yell, "Pastor, good morning!"

After church we greeted guests in the Hospitality Room and she always came in to give me a hug ... . I hugged her ... and I enjoyed it. Because I knew she was my Bob, I knew that in her simplistic mind, I represented God. God in His still, small voice said, "Well done, Charles. You loved someone who needed My love desperately. When you are desperate for love, I'll be there for you like you were for her." And when I was desperate, He was there.

I have now resigned from that church and when I look back on my time there, she is one of the people I miss. Why? Because I know she really needed me. I pray that God will send her another Charles and ... me another Bob, and give me enough sense to recognize him when he shows up.

THAT DREADFUL THING! [Matthew 25:40-46]

Bias is as simple to understand as the difference between a ladybug and a cockroach. Take a ladybug to your wife, girlfriend or mother and let it crawl on her arm. You’ll discover they have no objection ... that is, if don’t sneak up on them. They’ll say. "Oh, how cute. Aren’t they the prettiest things?" Some of them will add, "Don’t hurt it. They’re good bugs."

Now try doing the same thing with a water beetle (a very important bug except it looks like a cockroach). See what I mean? They’ll shout and scream, "Oh, don’t bring that dreadful thing near me. They’re so disgusting." Some of them will add, "Kill it! Kill it!" But they’re both bugs. What’s the difference?

Bias is rooted in our experiences; prejudice is rooted in our fears, which are also rooted in our experiences. Many of these experiences are actually lessons taught to us by others while we were young ... usually without our conscious knowledge.

Little girls are taught that bugs are "icky," while little boys are taught that bugs are good things to use to scare little girls. Yet, all kids are taught that ladybugs are "good bugs"; so too are "Daddy-long-legs" and "swamp flies."

Prejudice and bias interfere with the proper working of human life in general but in the heart of a believer they interfere with the proclamation of the Good News. At this moment there is a man sitting on the bench under the huge oak tree in our church parking lot. His name is Frank, he limps over here from a rest home down the street. He comes every day to sit in the shade and a drink his daily quart of bottled beer.

Frank is scruffy bearded and always appears in need of a bath. His fingernails are long and unclean. But Frank is the nicest guy. He’s as friendly as a Golden Retriever and just as uneducated. In a few minutes my associate, Dan, is going out to talk to him, and remind him of how much God loves him ... and why.

On the other hand, some people in our church have seen Frank under the tree, and asked with a tone of condemnation, "What’s he doing there?" The "he" is elevated, and clearly communicates that people like him are not welcome around God’s house. Others have asked, "Who’s that?" With the accent on "that" and the "who" drawn out like a barn owl’s cry.

My heart breaks for Frank ... in need of friends and love and space ... but it double breaks for those in my church who are biased against the different. Whose experiences have taught them to ignore the clear teachings of their Lord and Savior, "To the extent you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. ... to the extent you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me." Whose prejudices have caused them to reject the Teacher Himself because they’ve rejected His teachings. "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


THE BEAUTY WITHIN: [Proverbs 5:18]

The sculptor and the diamond cutter have one thing in common, they’re both trying to craft a work of art out of a rough, natural stone. These artists study the jagged object before them to such a degree they can actually visualize the finished product in their minds.

Another mental phenomena which fascinates me is how lovers are able to grow old together. The process is similar to that of the artisans above, only the image visualized is an image past, while the image seen is the image present.

When we fall in love, we are enamored with our sweetheart; she is beautiful to us and, though we all have imperfections, she seems perfect.

The aging process is heartless to the images of young love; but where true love exists, it allows us to see in our aging mate the original beauty which attracted us to them. How wonderful it is to look into our wife’s eyes and see the beauty hidden behind her now maturing flesh, the continuing elegance of her now failing frame, and persistent loveliness and appeal of her now mellowing voice.

Oh, how marvelous is this thing called true love; what a gift God has given to the man who is man enough to see with the eyes of his heart ... letting his fountain be blessed, rejoicing in the wife of his youth.

EVANGELISM - As the Father sent Him, so He sends you!

ALMOST PERSUADED! [Various; other topics - Outreach, Persistence, Soul-winning]

Every trip we make to one of our national parks someone in our family tries to feed a squirrel or chipmunk. In every instance the animal doesn’t trust us or any one else. Even though we leave a peanut for the animal again and again, it won’t trust us … again and again! The ingrate is never quite persuaded.

Inside, people are like these animals: wild, small, nervous, paranoid, filled with fears. But the writer of the song, “Almost Persuaded,” didn’t write it because he believed people were hopelessly lost. Rather, he wrote it because he knew it might be the next spiritual peanut which would persuade another sinner to receive what Jesus has offered … freedom from all their fears and life everlasting.

BEING SOMEBODY! [Proverbs 11:30; other topics - Soul-winning]

Lily Tomlin is supposed to have said, “I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.”

We all need goals, and the more specific the goal the easier it is to accomplish; and the easier it is to know when you’ve achieved it. To many people set vague goals and end up being what they do not want to be.

Christians are supposed to be Christ-like … to demonstrate the characteristics of our Lord. More specifically, we are to desire his communicable attributes (loving, goodness, kindness; gentleness, patience, truthfulness, justice, wisdom, etc.) … those characteristics which make Him who He is.

Unfortunately, soul-winning is like Bible reading: Barna reports 75% of Americans believe it’s important to read the Bible daily, yet only 13% actually read it daily.

FROM SAVING EYES TO SAVING SOULS! [Matthew 28:19, 20; other topics - Fruit Bearing, Sowing and Reaping, Witness]

Bob Reccord, president & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, relates a story of an ophthalmologist Howard Hendricks thought was the greatest witness for Jesus Christ in Dallas, Texas.

It seems the good Dr. came under conviction when some students asked if he had ever led anyone to the Lord. Even though he had been active in his evangelical church for twelve years, he had not led anyone to the throne of grace personally. At the students encouragement he joined a training program and learned to share his faith; he became a fervent witness for the Good News.

Years later, when Hendricks visited a remote part of India, he used the story of this ophthalmologist turned evangelist to illustrate a point. He did not however use the Dr.’s name.

Later, an Indian doctor approached Hendricks and said, “You were talking about _______ ” (giving the doctor’s name). “How did you know?” Hendricks asked. “I went to medical school in Dallas, I went to see him about my eyes. He led me to Christ and discipled me.” The native doctor replied.

Today this Indian doctor is the only licensed neurosurgeon in his part of India. He has tremendous influence for Jesus as a result of an American eye doctor who overcame his indifference concerning witnessing.

When you truly comprehend the love of the One who gave His life while you were yet a sinner, you are compelled to tell someone about Him. Lovers introduce their loved ones to others.

[Adapted from: “Beware of rabbit-hole Christianity,” On Mission; Vol. 2, No. 3, July-August 1999, 7]


HARVESTING CHURCHES! [Mat. 28:19-20; other topics - Soul-winning]

Jesus said, “Follow after Me, and I’ll cause you to be fishers of men.” [Mark 1:17; my translation] Jesus intends for us to be fishers of men; He intends for us to be actively fishing; He intends us to bring in the catch!

In an article in NEXT magazine, Geo. Hunter III catalogues what he found as common denominators in harvesting churches: [Current Thoughts & Trends; January 97, p.17; #11753]

1.) Harvesting churches are rooted in God’s Word - through sound preaching, teaching, and small group studies!
2.) They target the lost and unchurched; and care about them!
3.) They are pro-active and expectant in prayer!
4.) They are committed to the Great Commission!
5.) They share a rich vision of what individuals can become in Christ (i.e., fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ)!
6.) They learn the language and culture of the unchurched!
7.) They minister to the “life concerns” of the lost and the unchurched (e.g., health, parenting, relationships, etc.)!
8.) Their message is relevant across generational lines!
9.) They emphasize lay ministry according to giftedness!
10.) They recognize “shepherds do not make new sheep; sheep make new sheep”!
11.) They’re not content with their ranks swelling with nominal Christians!

Harvesting churches recognize it’s “always” harvest time for those who follow Jesus; they are willing to get in the field and pick the fruit. Key for these churches is the realization, by their people, that understanding of one’s faith grows as one regularly explains it to others!


HELP ME, I'VE FALLEN! [Matthew 25:40; other topics - Witnessing]

You’re walking down the street at night following a late business meeting; in fact it’s after midnight. You’re on your way to a public parking lot and pass several rather dingy bars. Near a dimly lit intersection, just a few feet out in the street, between two parked cars, you see the figure of a man crumpled up on the pavement. It’s a bum, a drunk; a man too blighted to know he’s fallen, too sloshed to get up even if he did.

There’s no traffic on the street but you hear the sound of vehicles on those nearby. It’ll only be a matter of time before a delivery truck or a cab speeds down the road. They won’t see the guy until they hit him. The man isn’t asking you to get involved; there’s no, “Help! I’ve fallen and can’t get up.” In fact, at the moment the boozer could care less. But, if the poor soul knew what was about to happen to him, don’t you think he would plead for help? What should you do?

Most, if not all, true-believers would go to his aid; they would take the time to lend assistance.

Mankind is lost and dead in his trespasses; he’s too sin-filled to know what has happened to him, too carnal to care. There he is, lying in the path of destruction, in need of assistance.

Lost people aren’t going to ask you to get involved; in truth, based on experience, I’d say most of them want you to leave them alone. But, if those poor souls were to know what was about to happen to them, don’t you think they would cry out to be pulled out of the way of God’s coming judgment? At least to be shown how they could be saved from it?

Witnessing is not like breathing, it’s like eating. The former is done absent-mindedly, out of necessity; the later is a deliberate act, requiring a certain amount of preparation and a conscious desire to act.


MULTIPLICATION GARDENS! [Luke 8:8; other topics - Church Growth, Fruit Bearing]

In a friend’s garden is what my friend calls “multiplying” onions. I love onions more than my wife wishes, but these I especially love.

Where most onions have just the bulb in the ground, these have them on the stem ends as well; each onion has three or four onion bulbs on each mature stem. It is a very peculiar plant.

Then again, so are the children of God; each is to be planted in the good soil; each is to bear fruit … a hundred times. We are to be multiplying Christians.

NO "PLAN B"! [Psalm 68:20; other topics – Lost, Salvation, Sovereignty or Will (of God)]

Mall managers all over the world are concerned about teens using their centers as hangouts. In some malls, hundreds of teens are present at the same time for no other reason than that "There’s nothing to do." How do you keep them from congregating in annoying packs?

The Warrawong Westfield mall in Wollongong (yes, there is really a place by this name south of Sydney, Australia ) arrived at this original solution: they play Bing Crosby music, loudly, over the mall’s public address system. And it works (or at least we’re told it works).

Being good business people they have a Plan B in the event Plan A doesn’t work: lighting that amplifies facial blemishes will be installed.

Fortunately, God doesn’t need or want a Plan B. His Plan A has always been certain of success; it has always been to seek and to save that which was lost [Luke 19:10]. When all has been said and done, there will be no one in Hell who can wag his finger at Heaven and proclaim, "There’s been a mistake; I don’t belong here!"


NOTHING CAN RESTRAIN! [Matthew 28:18-20; Soul-winning; Witnessing]

A Haitian mute preaches the gospel in his small village. "There is something quite amazing about this young man," a church planter in the village told Christian Aid Mission. "Even though he cannot hear or speak, he is sharing the gospel with the people around him."

The young man uses pantomime in acting out the story of Jesus Christ. By refusing to let his handicap stand in the way, he is provoking others to be more evangelistic.

What can we say? We know what God will say to this young man, right after his tongue is restored, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”

TELL THE WATCHMEN – IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER! [Ezekiel 3:16-21; other topics - Overcoming, Perseverance, Watchmen]

It’s a strange feeling, being a Christian: when is our work finished? A painter knows a house is finished when all the areas needing painting are painted. An author knows his book is done when it goes to publication. A coach knows the game is finished when the final whistle blows. A driver knows the race is over when the checkered flag is waved. A general knows the battle is over when the enemy surrenders. An audience knows the concerto has reached its end when the orchestra stops playing and the conductor turns to take a bow. A heart surgeon knows his treatment is over when his patient sends him a photo of himself surfing the Pipeline in Hawaii.

Until then they keep painting, writing, exhorting, driving, fighting, enjoying, and treating.

Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Well, when is it over? Not until the Lord says it’s over. Until then, we just keep on watching and warning.

Those of us who serve as watchmen often feel no one hears our warning cry. We see the sheep in the pew but know most of them are not hearing the warnings. They come to hear a “good talk” or be entertained or be inspired or be seen … but there is nothing in what we say that is “talk,” and we certainly don’t entertain … and only the Lord inspires and we are seen, just as we are! [Hebrews 4:12, 13]

Until it’s over we must keep on keeping on … there are enemies in the camp, there are enemies outside the camp, still we must keep on warning.


TO SEEK AND SAVE! [2 Corinthians 3:3; Other topics - Good News, Salvation, Witness]

An Internet company named Napster has been in the news a lot this year. They offer a program which allows its clients to obtain free music on the Internet. Like many webbed-based businesses their success has been phenomenal. Most record companies and rock bands don’t share their enthusiasm, however. Many organizations are taking to the courts for legal and financial protection.

Why is that? It’s because Napster enables you to locate your favorite songs on other computers, download, catalog, and share them with friends. The format (MP3) allows users to store near-CD-quality re-cordings, copyrighted or not.

The issue of copyright is confusing is not clear on the Internet. Artists should have control over their work; after all, it's the way they make their living. The related issues are far from resolved.

In the same sense, salvation is also available for download, at any time – the connection is always open – without copyright restrictions. God offers eternal life through Jesus Christ free to anyone who believes. You can't buy sal-vation anyway; God’s only Son paid the price.

Jesus is seeking lost human "hard drives" for saving. God has opted to use Christians to share the Good News, sort of like browsers (the interface software between a computer and the Internet).

If you have a personal relationship with God through Christ, chances are someone downloaded the Good News to you for free. Why not do the same for someone else today? You won't get into any legal trouble, His message was designed to be shared!

Source/Attribution: Love for Jesus Org., Hesperia, CA, 24 February 2001

PRIDE: First sin in the Garden!

THE PARABLE OF THE WHALE! [Proverbs 16:18]

Remember, it's when a whale surfaces that it gets harpooned. Whales blow to clear their air passage of water in order to replenish their air supply.

Man doesn’t blow to get air; he blows to get attention. So, beware, if you plan to rise to the top in order to blow your horn, keep the parable of the whale in mind … that’s when you’re most likely to get harpooned.

[Neil Anderson (Practical Theology class notes); edited for publication]

Modern Man - Same Old Problem [Genesis 2:7 (11:6)]

Edie Lau, Science Writer at the Sacramento Bee, writes, “The cute and healthy-looking ones get names such as Dolly, Amy, Betty and Daisy. They get their pictures taken. But for every good-looking lamb and calf conceived in a laboratory dish, a confounding number of animals come out oversized or malformed or aren’t born at all.”

What is Lau talking about? He's talking about cloned animals. The problem is so tenacious in “artificially reproduced and genetically engineered animals that some scientists are devoting their full attention to what they call Large Offspring Syndrome.”

Lorraine Young, a research scientist at the Roslin Institute, said, “I think at the moment, (the syndrome) is the norm.”

Nowadays, animal cloning is not as impressive as it once was; chances of producing healthy young from cloning and other reproductive techniques involving genetic orchestration is quite low, ten percent at best. Scientists want to know: Why doesn’t it work more often?

Lau quotes Dr. Torben Greve, a veterinary researcher in reproduction at the Royal Veterinary Agricultural University in Denmark, “The prospect of hidden health problems troubles [me].”

Greve says, “The main problem ... is the subtle differences that nobody wants to admit to. What if life expectancy is changed?”

In discussing in vitro fertilization, the scientists note that the same technique has been used for 21 years to assist humans to conceive, with no obvious ill effects in their babies. They ask, “What is the difference?”

“It’s extremely curious,” remarked Young, noting that mice also seem not to experience the syndrome. “We don’t understand that yet. .... [But] just because it hasn’t happened in people doesn’t mean it won’t,” Young lamented. ”I would feel happier knowing (the cause),” she said.

Young said scientists believe “imprint genes” from the male promote growth because it’s in the father’s best interest to have the biggest and strongest babies. The mother’s interest, on the other hand, is best served by limiting womb damage so she can bear several babies, so her genes limit growth.

Somehow, so the theory goes, manipulations external to the body topples the balancing act. If true, Young says, the challenge will be to identify the factors controlling these genes. “I don’t think (the problem of abnormal offspring) has to be the norm,” she said. “We think we can improve it.”

Man always thinks he can improve on it: he continues to build his Towers of Babel, when what he really needs is the Ark of the Lord. Man, it seems, will go on and on trying to elevate himself to the same level of God; if that doesn’t work he will try to pull God down to his level.

As they said, “It is in the Father’s best interest.” [Adapted from “Dark side of cloning perplexes scientists,” The Sacramento Bee; Aug. 18, 1999]

Christianity, Illustration,
Pride, Religion