- Morning Devotional
- July 6,
2005
"The Demo Ride"
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An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies. Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed. Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! (Proverbs 12:17-20 NLT).
There are many “old wives’ tales” that have made their way into common folklore and practice. I like to recount them from time to time and reflect how they are simply silly beliefs that have no basis in fact. For example, take a look at the following:
§ Chewing gum takes seven years to pass through the human digestive system. § A few drops of Lemon Joy in a saucer of water will knock mosquitoes dead from the sky. § Home remedies to repel mosquitoes are effective ways to defend you from West Nile Virus. § Hair grows back darker or thicker after it has been shaved. § Those who go swimming less than one hour after eating will be taken by a cramp and drown. § Even in the most crowded of rooms, an inexplicable silence will invariably strike conversationalists at twenty past the hour. § An effective cure for warts is to have someone "buy" them from you. § A bar of soap between the bed-sheets will prevent leg cramps.
I especially like the last one! Slipping a bar of soap into the bed as a leg cramp prevention has been advanced by a number of authorities, both medical and otherwise. Ann Landers has mentioned the soap cure in her column on a number of occasions, with each airing prompting a load of letters from readers thanking her for this information because it worked wonders for them. "They were thrilled and grateful to be liberated from those leg cramps," said Ms. Landers. As to how this works — or even if it does — we're still in the dark. Perhaps soap releases something into the air that is beneficial to those predisposed to this condition, with the bed-sheets working to contain the helpful emissions to the area where they are needed. Or perhaps this is a case of believing making it so — the soap itself has no effect, but the sufferer's faith in the procedure serves to affect the miracle.
It is another one of those things that we may never really “prove.” I suppose that the only test is that which the Scripture mentions: the test of time. Isn’t it strange how some people refuse to believe the account of the Scripture when in reality they simply haven’t tried it? I find it much easier to believe the promises of God after I have trusted in them and seen them proven in my life. In the automotive sales business we like to ask people to take a demonstration ride. There are two reasons for that. The first is that it allows the potential buyer to prove for themselves the claims of the seller about the product. And, then it also builds trust between the buyer and seller. If we can “prove” the claim through experience it makes it much easier to believe. Maybe you need to take a demo ride of God’s promises. Go ahead, slip into the driver’s seat. You won’t be disappointed.
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