Ok, the thief probably didn't look like this....but my bike was stolen from campus this week! It was sad and pretty frustrating that someone would do something like that! I came to the bike racks and saw my lock (should have bought a better one!) laying on the ground broken, the combination numbers had been ripped off with a pliers or something.
Oh well. It had served me well. But this incident reminds me of a conflicting belief that we see all the time on campus, and in our world.
When talking with students on the Quad or in the Union here, we find that most hold a belief that human nature is basically good: that most people aren't too bad, except for a few bad apples. They would say (at least initially) that most people's good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds.
God's Word paints a different picture, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are rendered spiritually dead by our sin.
Which picture more accurately reflects reality? It's easy to see good in people...we know nice people around us and we want people to think well of us.
I'll sometimes ask a couple questions that, for most, lays bare the truth of God's Word.
Oops. Guess I'd better listen to my own advice and buy a better lock.
Thanks for partnering with us. Please pray for wisdom for us as we dialogue with students, Christian and non, each day.
With you,
-Noah
Oh well. It had served me well. But this incident reminds me of a conflicting belief that we see all the time on campus, and in our world.
When talking with students on the Quad or in the Union here, we find that most hold a belief that human nature is basically good: that most people aren't too bad, except for a few bad apples. They would say (at least initially) that most people's good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds.
God's Word paints a different picture, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are rendered spiritually dead by our sin.
Which picture more accurately reflects reality? It's easy to see good in people...we know nice people around us and we want people to think well of us.
I'll sometimes ask a couple questions that, for most, lays bare the truth of God's Word.
- What if I took a projector and speakers, put them out in front of the Union for a week. During that week, that projector and speakers would display every single thought that you think. Would you be up for that? [no one has said yes!]
- If you really believe people are good, why not leave your laptop unattended while you run to the restroom? Why not leave your keys in your car when you run into a store? Why worry about locking your bike up?
Oops. Guess I'd better listen to my own advice and buy a better lock.
Thanks for partnering with us. Please pray for wisdom for us as we dialogue with students, Christian and non, each day.
With you,
-Noah
