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Topic: Flat (01/03/13)
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TITLE: FLAT ON HIS FACE | Previous Challenge Entry
By kennedy wanyoike
01/09/13 -
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It’s interesting to observe how human beings and even some animated objects react to different situations by falling down flat on their faces.
Jericho was the first city to face the invading Israelites marching to Canaan, the city was heavily walled. simple instructions were issued by Joshua, circle the city once every day when your mouth is shut then on the seventh day circle it seven times then shout. The walls fell flat and Jericho was opened.
The desire to make an extra income monetary is very strong to each one of us, so when the opportunity came knocking to “Balaam” a prophet, he immediately seized it. not even pleas from God himself, a speaking donkey could deter him, so God had to open his eyes and he saw an angel with a drawn sword on his hand and that caught his attention. He bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
I am sure there will be an uproar if we introduced a “must” subject, which will be practical in our leadership courses for our national corporate, military and all circles of leadership by our society.
Moses was the greatest leader of all who is recorded in the bible. When he sent twelve spies to scout the Promised Land, 10 brought a negative report and two, a positive report, so it seemed the whole assembly voted with their mouth to follow the majority. They decided to go back to Egypt and further more they wanted to kill the minority by stoning them.
Moses with his principal assistant, his brother Aaron reacted by falling down flat with their faces to the ground .In another incident, Moses’ personal leadership style came under attack from close members of his cabinet, they wanted to lead also, Moses’ reaction was that he fell flat with his face to the ground. He was even talking to them flat on his face.
It would seem absurd and horrifying, a president falling flat on his face in the cabinet boardroom when faced with a leadership crisis coming from his own cabinet.
Joshua was a successful military leader during his days. In the course of military expeditions, a man stood before him with a drawn sword, Joshua true to his courage asked him whether he was for them or for their enemies. The reaction to the answer the man gave was that Joshua fell flat on his face to the earth.
When Joshua faced another leadership crisis during a military expedition, he lay flat with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord the whole day. Then God gave him direction.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a crisis in his kingdom, he dreamt then he forgot about the details of the dream. His order was that you remind him the dream then you give the interpretation.
The problem was so serious that some of the wise men were killed for failure to solve the king’s riddle. Then Daniel, a civil servant gave the details of the dream and the interpretation. What followed looks out of place to our modern thinking, Nebuchadnezzar fell flat on his face before Daniel and worshiped. He even commanded an offering and incense to be offered to a junior civil servant.
Everything good and useful is always prone to misuse and abuse.
There was a man named Haman in the kingdom of Susa, where Esther was the queen. He got promoted similarly to the rank of a prime minister. The king had commanded that all the guards should bow down and fall flat their faces to the ground as Haman passes by. But one man could not do that, Mordecai the Jew.
Haman held a grudge against Mordecai and the whole race of Jews, and planned to kill them. Fate would have it; Mordecai was an uncle to queen Esther. So she prepared a dinner and invited the king and Haman only. After dinner, Queen Esther revealed to the king that Haman was planning to kill her race.
The king rose up in a rage and went to the palace garden. Haman fell flat with his face on the couch where Esther was seated pleading for his life, then the king came back into the house in that moment and found Haman laying flat on the couch and thought that Haman was assaulting the queen.
He gave orders immediately to hang Haman.
In either case, going flat with your face to the ground can be beneficial or disastrous.
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There were some spots where the transition from one story to another was a tad rocky. One thing that might help pull the reader into your story more would be to use dialog. For example something like this might help the reader form a picture: simple instructions were issued by Joshua, circle the city once every day
Joshua gathered the masses and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Today we will march around the city one time. Don't make any noise at all."
The group followed Joshua's instructions.
On the seventh day, Joshua announced, "Today we will circle the city seven times. On my cue, everyone will start shouting."
Hopefully that will help show you what I mean. Notice also how I double spaced between paragraphs to give the reader some white space.
I enjoyed your ending. The last line made me smile and I could feel a subtle sense of humor there and at other times sprinkled throughout the story. I can tell you have a passion for the Bible and a desire to spread God's word to as many people as possible. Keep writing those stories that God lays on your heart. Good job.