A Fantastic Idea

A Fantastic Idea

Your word is a lamp to guide my feetand a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

Can you imagine life today without a telephone? Me, neither! I love my iPhone and Bluetooth. But early on, Alexander Graham Bell offered to sell his telephone invention to Western Union for what today would probably seem like a joke.

Out of respect for Mr. Bell, Western Union formed a committee to review and consider his seemingly ridiculous invention and offer. After thinking it through, here’s what the committee had to say:

The telephone is named by its inventor, A. G. Bell. He believes that one day they will be installed in every residence and place of business. Bell’s profession is that of a voice teacher. Yet, he claims to have discovered an instrument of great practical value in communication that has been overlooked by thousands of workers who have spent years in the field. Bell’s proposal to place his instrument in almost every home and business is fantastic. The central exchange alone would represent a huge outlay in real estate and buildings, to say nothing of the electrical equipment. In conclusion, the committee feels that it must advise against any investment in Bell’s scheme. We do not doubt that it will find users in special circumstances, but any developments of the kind and scale that Bell so fondly imagines is utterly out of the question.

Oops! Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall if that same committee could meet and reconsider that decision today? Wouldn’t you hear a giant, collective “Duh”? That’s what I call a magnificent mistake.

Yet, God probably looks at some of the shortsighted spiritual decisions we make in our lives and shakes his head in disbelief too. Again, the giant divine “Duh” is hard to miss. When we take our eyes off the Guide, we stumble and fall.

Thank you, Lord, for your long-suffering patience and forgiveness. I know I make so many bad decisions, and I need your ongoing help and guidance. Please protect me from myself, Lord. Amen.