WE NEED TO GET THIS

“Look Nicky, we need to get this,” nine year-old Justin pleaded. “Put that back,” Nicky grumped. Justin glanced down at the magazine he held in his hand. With one last convincing attempt, he said: “It says: faith.”

I don’t know if Justin has been to church enough times to really understand faith. But he knew it meant new life—maybe a miracle.

The Bible tells of a crippled man who spent years at the doors of the church begging. Apostle Peter came by one day and injected faith into this man’s hopeless life. And in a split second his life changed. The Bible says, “Faith in Jesus' name put this man . . . on his feet--yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes.”  From a cripple, to a man “jumping and praising God.”

Justin’s fingertips sensed the glossy magazine paper, as if he was holding faith in his hands. The Bible says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.”  

Nicky, his older sister by a dozens years, almost yelling: “No, put it back!”

No big deal. He’s only a kid. Right? But, can we look at the beyond-the-apparent of Justin’s life?

His dad will be incarcerated at least a half dozen more years. In a few weeks his big sister will be in jail--again. While his mom works full time; her drug problem, seemingly managed, can sometimes roar back.

All hope vanished from Justin’s face, he turned a hundred and eighty degrees, shuffled three paces and plopped the magazine on the shelf. He put faith on the shelf. No miracle. No jumping. No praising God.

Justin, you are so right: “We need to get this.” Is faith at your fingertips? Grab it! “Faith is the substance . . .”