All photos either personal or courtesy of Unsplash
A man went to a barber’s shop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but did not respond because he did not want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? I don’t believe that barbers exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed and led the barber to the window. "Barbers can't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist!” came the reply. “I exist. It’s not my fault if men like that do not come to me. If they did, I could make the world of a difference to them"
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer.
"That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!
What happens is, people don't go to Him.”
The problem of pain and suffering has always been a difficulty to people who question the existence of a God, but although the Bible reminds us that God is a holy righteous God, it also tells us of His love and compassion. That love and compassion was shown fully in Jesus as He walked this earth and it can be summed up so well in His own words.
“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
What a way to begin this New Year of 2024.
DAILY MESSAGES WITH MEANING (02/01/24)
Written by STEPHEN TRESEDER
No comments
Post a Comment