Wednesday, June 27, 2007

A Good Reminder For Us All

I have read this story in the past. Perhaps you have read it too. But it serves as a good reminder for us all to take the time and read it once again.

This modern day parable helps us to consider, and contemplate, God's meaning and purpose for our lives. It answers the question of why God allows pain and suffering in this world. It demonstrates to us that He wants all of us to come to Him. It reveals that oftentimes it takes pain and suffering for those who may have previously ignored Him or have proclaimed that "God doesn't exist" to finally come to their senses and realize that they are lost without Him!

I hope that you might then be motivated to share this simple, but powerful story with others!

Christine

P.S. Special thanks to my blogging friend Anna, for sending this to me via email today!


This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering that I have seen:

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

"You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

If you think God exists, share this story with other people---

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS .

2 comments:

Juan Buhler said...

Uh. The analogy is only valid for omnipresent, omnipotent barbers who do not need money from their customers.

Christinewjc said...

Ha ha...good one Juan.