What would you do?...

What would you do?...







AFTER THE PRAYER, THE CIRCUIT OVERSEER SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED UP TO THE PLATFORM AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS PUBLIC TALK, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST SPEAKER.





IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE BROTHER TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST SPEAKER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS FROM A FAR AWAY PLACE AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CONGREGATION AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PLATFORM AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.





"A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST." HE BEGAN.





"WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN, THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAP SIZED."





THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE TALK BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.





THE AGED GENTLEMAN CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,





"GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.





HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE LOVED JEHOVAH. HE ALSO KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT AND HAD NOT LEARNED TO LOVE JEHOVAH.





THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES. AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU,: HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.





BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.!





BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE AGED GENTLEMAN'S MOUTH.





"THE FATHER," HE CONTINUED, "KNEW HIS SON WOULD BE REMEMBERED BY JEHOVAH AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND NOT LETTING JEHOVAH GET TO KNOW HIM BETTER AND HIM GETTING TO KNOW JEHOVAH AND THE PROMISES HE HAS IN STORE.





THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE DID THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON SO THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU "





WITH THAT, THE OLD GENTLEMAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.





THE ELDER AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PLATFORM AND DELIVERED A BRIEF TALK WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END TO START A BIBLE STUDY WITH SOMEONE HERE AT THE KINGDOM HALL. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL. WITH IN MINUTES AFTER THE MEETING ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.





"THAT WAS A NICE STORY," POLITELY BUT SARCASTICALLY STATED ONE OF THEM, "BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN AND LOVE GOD."





"WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE," THE OLD MAN REPLIED GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, "IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR JEHOVAH GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.


YOU SEE...





"I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR CIRCUIT OVERSEER IS MY SON'S FRIEND."