stand up
There was a Philosophy professor who was a deeply committed Atheist. His main goal each semester was to prove that God could not exist.
His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For 20 years, he always thought that no one in his class and outside of her would have the courage to go against him.
Sure, some of them had argued in class once, but never really against him, and they didn’t because he had such a great reputation.
At the end of each semester, on the last day, he would ask his class of 300 students: ‘If there is anyone who still believes in Jesus, please stand up!’ In 20 years, no one ever did. They knew what was coming next, he would say: ‘Because everyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he would prove it by stopping this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the floor. It would be so easy for Him to prove that He is God! And still he can’t do it. And so every year he would whip a piece of chalk on the ground so that it would break into pieces.
The students could do nothing but watch. Most of the students ended up convinced that God did not exist.
Certainly the occasional Christian had slipped in, but for 20 years they had been afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago, a young man who had heard stories about this teacher, enrolled in this class because without her, he could not finish his degree. Therefore, he was afraid. For the first 3 months of that semester, he prayed every day to have the courage to stand up, no matter what the teacher said, or what his classmates thought of him. Nothing they said would break his faith. Finally the day came. The professor said: ‘If there is anyone who still believes in God, please stand up!’ Suddenly, at the back of the room, the student stood up. The teacher and the class of 300 students stared at him, in shock.
The teacher yelled ‘FOOL! If God existed, He would prove it by keeping this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the floor!’
He then tossed the chalk away, but the moment he did so the chalk slipped from his fingers and slid down his sleeve, through the folds of his pants, and down his shoe until, untouched, it rolled on the floor.
The professor gaped, looking at the chalk on the floor, then looked up at the young man who was standing and ran out of the room.
The young man then came to the front of the room and spoke of his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. The 300 students listened as he spoke of God’s love for them and his power.
Sometimes all we need to do is stand up. And don’t forget that He is there.
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