For Rowdy Christians Everywhere

by Dave Schultz

The Old Man on Miracles

  “Kid,” said the old man, “What do you make of miracles?”

  Did he mean the good-old-days kind, from the Holy

  Bible, or the faith healings modern guys practice?

  “Either or,” said he. “Some events are truly great,

  some fair. Some come from God, and some men have... guided.

  But in general, do you think they happen, son?

  “Take, just for example, the birth of my own son,

  so long ago. I’m pretty sure as miracles

  go, that one was up there! Someone must have guided

  that whole thing, coz I didn’t do that much! Holy

  smokes if I had, he wouldn’t have turned out so great!

  I’d forget the blood or bones without some practice!

  “Yet along comes God, who without any practice

  brings forth stars, worlds, and to keep it the same, a Son.

  Well just in its own right, isn’t that pretty great?

  But it’s Jesus! Perfect from birth, does miracles,

  saves the world, brings man back to God, and is holy!

  Now are these the types of things that could be ‘guided’?

  “If so, I’d like to shake the man’s hand that guided

  them. I’ll bet resurrection takes lots of practice.

  Or calming a storm. Heck, even being holy

  is beyond me! I see what you’re thinking there, son:

  ‘Maybe he didn’t really do those miracles,

  it could be his publicists were just really great.’

  “Well, except for one thing, that idea works out great:

  Everybody saw it! Were their stories guided?

  All that suggests it is your fear of miracles.

  What else makes you know more than them all? Practice

  that much gall, and you’re cheekier than we were, son.

  I simply prefer to leave room for the holy.

  “Because that’s not the only age that was holy...

  Look about you boy, everything God makes is great!

  Grass, birds, air...mysteries and treasures for you son!

  Don’t call it nature--by whom is nature guided?

  If a million men had a million years to practice...

  Yet you call it chance?! Give glory, it’s miracles.”

  When this great man had gone, I knelt and thanked the Holy

  God--Father, Son and Spirit--for His miracles.

  That which transcends man’s practice, God must have guided.