The Devotional - A Look at the Book #801

by Jesse Abel

 

A Word from Papa “J”

 

Humanism is much different than rationalism, yet both are developed by a lack of faith. Work and grace are very different too, but both function effectively by faith! Ephesians 2:8-10

 

GOOD MORNING

 

Several years ago the U.S. Navy gave the country of Spain one of our Destroyers. It just so happened that the Destroyer I was on would host and train the Spanish men in the use of the equipment, the ship and navigation. To our surprise, many of these men were ignorant of shipboard life and the sea.

 They seemed more interested in our Navy Exchange and purchasing cameras, clothing and cigarettes.

The lack of concern on the part of these Spanish sailors caused many of us U.S. sailors to lose interest in our main purpose so we began taking advantage of our Spanish brothers. We told them things that were not true about the ship and the ocean. We laughed at their blunders and judged these men as incompetent.

 

Like all of the nations around us the Spanish enjoy a different culture, different eating habits and different methods of effort. One of the things that is culturally different is that Spanish men will walk together holding hands. This was perfectly normal for these men, but it was an opportunity for ridicule and evil for us American sailors.

 

Earlier I mentioned that this took place several years ago and it would be prior to 1965. The world around us promotes the thought that we as inhabitants of the world are getting better. We are getting smarter; technology is rapidly moving us into advances that boggle the mind of people like me. But I need to ask a question. Are we getting better at being human beings?

 

As rapidly as one might think… good is growing in leaps and bounds and so is evil. For every good invention or intention or achievement, evil is there to take a ‘BITE’ out of it and not just a small bite but one that controls the result. Or I could put it this way! Smart phones are smart, no doubt about it. The problem is that all advancements eventually turn to advance evil and not the intended good.

 

The world over is infected with what the Bible calls “good and evil” thus the trail of living life under the sway of good and evil is purposed by God to drive man back to God; the Father of Light in whom there is no shift in the shadow. James 1:12-18