Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Embarrassed (07/19/07)
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TITLE: Lost Soul | Previous Challenge Entry
By c clemons
07/26/07 -
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“Why?” asked the old man to his left.
“Cause, I have no shoes to put on my feet.”
“Yeah, but look at Bert over there, he has no feet.” said the old man to his right.
“Hey, I know what you’re going to say, be thankful I have feet. I know all that, preached it myself from the pulpit many times. Even wrote a book “Be Thankful For What You Have” and so on.”
“So, why the embarrassment?” asked the old man on the left.
“The only shoes I own have holes in the soles and I want to look good when I’m laid out.” explained the old man. You know I use to be somebody in this community, somebody important. I had the largest church, the biggest house, the prettiest wife and the nicest kids.”
“What happen?” asked the second old man.
“Lost, everything, wife, kids, church and congregation.” answered the old man. “I thought I could have it all. Some would say I misused the trust of the people that were in my flock. I really didn’t think what I was doing would hurt anyone.”
“What did you do?” asked Bert.
“I adverted some money that was to go to feed the hungry in Africa to my own bank account so that I could keep the lifestyle I was leading. It was eventually found out and I was asked to step down. In the beginning my wife tried to stay but when the money was gone, she was too with the kids. Soon after that my health began to fail. So here I am years later with nothing and no one. I spend a lot time telling God how he is so unfair to me, other people have done worse but I have nothing now, not even my health. I know I don’t have much more time with the cancer eating me up, but I will be very embarrassed to meet my maker with holes in my soles.” With that the old man rolled his wheelchair down the hall towards his room.
Bert with the no feet called after him, “Seems like to me you would be more embarrassed about the hole in your soul.”
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Good writing - good message!
The final line put the focus on the real point.
There's no sense of regret or remorse for his actions, only a sense of unfairness in the aftermath and even that he sees as God's fault.
The old "others have done worse" is an often used justification but God holds His shepherds to a higher stand. He not only sinned but brought reproach on the name of the Lord.
The saddest part is his lack of true brokenness over his own actions. No cry for forgiveness. An excellent example of humans, who always put the enphasis on the minor while missing the major sin.