Making Headlines

Making Headlines

Everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:26

The editor of a small-town newspaper had cherished for many years a set of old-fashioned wooden type in a huge sixty-point size. On more than one occasion his assistants had tried to induce him to use it for one story or another, but he always firmly vetoed the idea.

One summer the old man went away for a short fishing vacation, leaving his assistants in charge of getting the newspaper out in his absence. While he was away, a tornado struck the little town, tearing the steeple off the Baptist church, ripping roofs from several prominent houses, sucking a couple of water wells dry, and scattering pieces of a few barns. No bigger calamity had ever hit the town.

Figuring this was their chance, the editor’s assistants reverently got down the treasured giant type from the top shelf and set a sensational front-page headline: “Tornado Rips Town Apart!”

Two days later the editor came back from his fishing trip and stormed into the office. “Balls of fire!” he shouted. “What d’ye mean by taking down that type for a little old tornado?”

“But, sir,” the assistants stuttered, “it’s the biggest story ever to happen here. We just thought—”

“It’s the biggest story to happen here so far,” huffed the editor. “All these years I’ve been saving that type for the second coming of Christ!”

That editor was right about one thing—no bigger story will ever happen than Christ’s return. However, because the Bible says it will happen “in the blink of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52), I doubt the editor will have time to set a headline about it.

Lord Jesus, we wait with eager anticipation for your return, knowing that when you come back, you will take us to heaven to be with you. Come soon, Lord! Amen.