I went on a business trip to Montreal Canada. My first time to be there.
Beautiful city. Partly French and partly English. The first thing I did was to join a city tour so that the guide could teach me more about the city.
Maybe this is the reason why I am reminded of another guide in this story I will tell you.
Sailors in the 1800’s dreaded the dangerous French pass off the coast of New Zealand. Here the Pelorus Sound was full of treacherous currents and jagged rocks that were concealed just below the surface. Many ships were lost in this region.
One stormy morning in the 1800s the Brindle, sailing from Boston to Sydney, was having trouble going through the pass when a Risso’s dolphin leaped out of the water. The men wanted to harpoon it, but the captain’s wife suggested they follow it. Experienced sailors, these men didn’t want to listen to a woman, let alone follow a marine animal. Still, they knew that the dolphin had spent his lifetime in these treacherous waters. For years he had plied swiftly through the open channels, avoiding the rocks. Yes, he knew a lot more about Pelorus Sound than they did. So putting aside selfish pride and human judgment, they humbly followed him and made a safe passage!
From that time on Pelorus Jack, as they called him, stayed around the Sound.
Sailors watched for him. As soon as the dolphin saw a ship he leaped out of the water and was always greeted by a cheer from those on board. For over 20 years from 1888 Pelorus Jack guided ships through those dangerous waters, saving thousands of lives.
During those years only one ship struck the jagged rocks and sank. Why? In 1903 a drunken passenger shot at the dolphin, nicking him. For two weeks the animal disappeared, and when he returned to work he refused to guide that one ship, which soon struck the rocks and was lost.
Amazing animals these dolphins are.
You know what?
Some times they’re smarter than humans.
There are many human beings I know who refuse to be guided. And when somebody who genuinely cares attempt to do so, the same mistaken humans tries to hurt the very hand that tries to help.
And then again there are those who refuse to be guided because they think they are all right. When it comes to spiritual matters they think they know enough to guarantee them eternal life.
You know how it works…give a little money here…donate some money there…besides…it’s tax deductible anyway…practice some kind of religiosity here…make a little pilgrimage there and rationalize that they’re not as bad as others…they don’t kill…they don’t rape and they don’t molest children…they must have earned compulsory salvation in heaven.
And what about the guide?
It’s there but they ignore it.
What guide you’re asking?
The Good Book of course. The very Book that contains God’s Word…you know…the One that human beings in their drunken stupor have tried to debunk…disprove…denounce and finally dismiss and this is why so many of them are lost.
So sad isn’t it?
That after all the technological advancements human beings have attained all these years, there are just more and more stupid things humans do to destroy themselves and their surrounding.
No wonder Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My Words will never pass away.” And the Apostle Paul in the New Testament says: “For our citizenship is in Heaven.”
Those who are guided are not of this world for they are waiting for the best world to come.
What about you? Who are what is guiding you?
wow.. wonderful read Francis…
thanks so much.
Francis
thank you.
Francis