| This is a true story of something that happened just
a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of
philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His
primary goal for one required class was to spend the
entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't
exist.
His students were always afraid to argue with him
because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had
taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to
go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times,
but no one had ever 'really gone against him' (you'll see
what I mean later).
Nobody would go against him because he had a
reputation. At the end of every semester, on the last
day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If
there is anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand
up!"
In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew
what he was going to do next. He would say, "because
anyone who does believe in God is a fool. If God existed,
he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground
and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that he is God,
and yet he can't do it." And every year, he would
drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and
it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the
students could do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the
students were convinced at God couldn't exist. Certainly,
a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20
years, they had been too afraid to stand up.
Well, a few years ago, there was a freshman who
happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a
Christian, and had heard the stories about this
professor. He had to take the class because it was one of
the required classes for his major. And he was afraid.
But for 3 months that semester, he prayed every morning
that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what
the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing
they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped.
Finally the day came. The Professor said, "If there
is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!"
The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him,
shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The
professor shouted, "You FOOL!! If God existed, he
could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit
the ground!"
He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it
slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the
pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As
it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, unbroken. The
professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He
looked up at the young man and then ran out of the
lecture hall. The young man who had stood up proceeded to
walk to the front of the room and share his faith in
Jesus for the next half-hour. 300 students stayed and
listened as he told of God's love for them and of his
power through Jesus. "Yet to all who received HIM,
to those who believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to
become children of God-children born not of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but
born of GOD."
"But HE knows the way that I take. When HE has
tested me, I will come forth as gold." Job 23:10
God Bless you!!
L. Ray Hubbard, Jr.
Clemson University, SC 29634-0369
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