The Broom

FAITH: Talking about it is one thing—having it is another.

A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom. The little boy turned to his mother and said, “Mama, I don’t want to go out there. It’s dark.” The mother smiled reassuringly at her son. “You don’t have to be afraid of the dark,” she explained. “Jesus is out there. He’ll look after you and protect you.” The little boy looked at his mother real hard and asked, “Are you sure he’s out there?” “Yes, I’m sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him,” she said. The little boy thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called “Jesus? If you are out there, would you hand me the broom?”

How deep is our faith, really? We will find out in the face of extreme tests. During those times, do we feel at peace, or are torn with fear? Faith is what Christians have that is so special. Our faith gives us the conviction that God can provide, and gives us the hope that He will. Fears and anxieties follow us throughout life. It is our faith that helps us to cope with them. Think about fear for a moment. If our fear is of the Lord, then that is a good thing. Those who the fear the Lord the most are the closest to Him. Those who fear anything else are further away from Him. So, with faith we can go get the broom. We’ll be ok!