The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-03-18
Shipwreek
Lesson for March 20, 1860

Lesson for March 20, 1860
IAN these things are against
me-" said a down-hearted old
man once. Even the young and
strong get the feeling that GER
tain kinds Of things are against
them. We all do, more or less.
When bad weather sets in; when
people won't take your advice;
when we see trouble coming and
have no way to stop it; when we
are alone in the midst of strang-
ers; when we've been in Jail
for two years; when we are the
low man on the totem pole;;''-
we feel these things are against
US. We seldom think of them as
open doors to opportunity.
Situation Out of Hand
When we are riding the situa-
ton, SO to speak, when we are
in the drivers seat and have
everything well in hand: when
things are happening because
we ordered and arranged things
that way; then we sing n a
everything's coming our way.
But when the situation is not
in hand. when every thing about
the situation is either unexpect-
ed or unwanted and nothing
good can be said about it, then
we groan that everything is
against US. Nothing is more de-
pressing than a situation out of
hand.
However. there was a remark
able Christian whose story is
told in the book of Acts, who
never would admit that every
thing was against him. He al
ways knew God was for him,
and that was the main point.
Situations might get out of his
hands but not out of Gods hand.
Consider Paul, one of a batch
OF prisoners aboard a grain-ship
on a grey November day, bound
across the Mediterranean to the
empires capital.
When he stepped on board he
was already at the bottom of the
heap. He had been two years in
jail, he was then ally
shackled with a chain, he was
probably not in good health, he
had only one or two friends with
him. the rest were all prisoners
soldiers and sailors, pretty
rough crowd for a preacher. Not
only that, but he had given good
advice Don't sail, the stormy
season is starting, but had been
turned down. Paul was an old
Mediterranean hand, he knew
the weather signs. But nobody
paid him any mind. Then came
the storm and the shipWreck.
Read all about it in Acts. It
was a narrow squeak.
Little Man to Big Man
The point is, Paul never
spent a minute wishing he were
IN a better situation. He never
put in complaint that all these
things were against him. He US
ed the opportunity all these dis
aSters gave him. But he did not
use 1t for himself, he used it
for others. To be sure, he could
not resist say in effect Il told
you So" But he did not stop
with that. He became the most
useful and most respected
man on the ship. When they
started he was just another
prisoner, little man in every
sense; when the crash came he
was the big man. For one thing
he brought courage to the others
by his own faith. He talked
language they could not under
stand. Get something to eat, he
said. And don't let anybody steal
the lte-boat.
Always A Witness
Paul did preach. though. He
was not a man to let a chance
go by. He preached by his very
attitude, but he also gave wit
ness in words. He said just why
1t was that he was so confident.
His faith was not in himself nor
IN the ships captain, it was in
God. Now it is no news that men
pray in hurricanes. But it is
news when men in hurricanes
do not pray mostly for them
selves. There is a lovely touch
IN what Paul said to the other
seasick men on the stormy deck.
The angel Of his dream had said
to him: God has granted you all
those who sail with YOU" Paul
thinks of his fellow-passengers-
even Of the soldiers who had him
in charge, the crew, everybody
thinks Of them as his own be-
cause God had given them to
him. A man who does not ask
special favors for himself. a
man who. if he is going to be
saved, wants others to be res
cued with him q man like that
will get hearing when he
speaks good word for the God
Of whom he belongs and whom
he serves.
(Rased on outlines copyright
ed by the Division Of Christian