A Ring Is A Ring

A Ring Is A Ring

 

          The flower, the tree, the grass merely grow where they find themselves planted. I seriously doubt that the flower wilting in the sun, thinks longingly of the lifesaving shade a few inches away and wishes it could, in some way, move into its shelter. An animal, on the other hand, can and does make many choices for itself. Choices based on instinct and circumstances, not on intelligent thinking. No animal plans for its future. Man is the only creation that was blessed with free will, the intelligence, mobility, imagination, and reasoning to make use of it. This separates man from all other species. We are proud of this distinction. Without our free will we would be puppets, or worse, animals.

          Actually animals have an innate instinct to take care of themselves. Not a sparrow falls that the Father is not aware of. Jesus said, "I can of myself do nothing. It is God who does the work. Not my will but thine be done."

          Would you call Jesus a puppet? Then the question becomes...is free will what we think?

          Let's pretend. There are two men on a game show (Life). They have both won first prize, which is the choice between two beautiful rings. One a priceless diamond. The other an exact copy, only worthless. The first man chooses in ignorance and is happy with his choice. He puts it in a vault and only gets it out on special occasions or to show it off. But one day he discovers it has disintegrated and he realizes he made the wrong choice.

          Our second man has the same choice of rings (free will). Only this man is a jeweler, He knows diamonds (understands spiritual law). He can make the choice also. Or can he? Is there a choice for the jeweler? Could anyone knowingly chose the worthless and be satisfied when they can just as easily have the priceless?

          So it is with life. You have free will. Can you be satisfied with sickness, sin, and death after you recognize the perfect life of Jesus? The beauty of it is we can exchange the worthless ring (human ideas) for the priceless ring (spiritual knowledge) at any time.

          What do we give up? Only fear, death, and all the ills the flesh is heir to.

          What do we gain? Security, safety, health, all the good the human is searching for and the knowledge that we are forever God's favorite children. That from now on, when we put our will aside, God's will can only bring us blessings

  437 words                             Loretta Ellen Edwards