The Existence Of God

A teacher was having problems with the students in her class.

One of them, Louie, coming from a family that kept a distance from religion and with deeply negative ideas, began to pass these same ideas on to the other children.

The boy would state that God did not exist and that everything was an invention of man.

The other children, feeling surprised and restless, did not know how to refute their friend’s ideas and began to feel insecure.

This predicament reached the teacher, who worried about it, started thinking on how she could change that situation and solve the problem. She thought really hard and after some time had an idea.

A few days later, she told her students that the next morning they would do an experiment. They should bring all the pieces of a watch, a radio, a cd player, or any other object that was broken. And they should also bring a box in which that object could fit.

The students were full of curiosity, but the teacher did not want to advance anything, saying with a smile:

- Tomorrow you will see.

The next day, all the students showed up, under intense expectation and carrying the materials requested.

Class took place normally. At the end of the period, the teacher asked them to put the materials for the experiment on their desks.

Then she had each of them put the broken object inside the box, with all its pieces, and cover it well.

They did so, not understanding what the teacher was up to.

- Very well! Now, shake the box well, trying to get the pieces to fall into place and the mechanisms to work again.

- But, teacher! - stammered one of the children.

- Do not argue. Do as I say.

The children shook the boxes for a minute, five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes...

They could not take it anymore. They were exhausted!

After all that time, the teacher asked them to open the boxes and check the result of their efforts.

- How are the devices?

Discouraged, the children looked at the contents of their boxes and one of them replied:

- They’re still broken, Miss.

Faking surprise, she asked the class:

- Not even one? - she said, shaking her head. - Nobody managed to fix their device?...

Everyone shook their heads.

One of them said, convinced:

- Sure, teacher! Even if we stayed here all day, the whole month, or the whole year, we could never fix it this way!

- Ah! - exclaimed the teacher. - But why?

- Because for something to work it is necessary that "someone" puts the pieces in place, adjusts the screws etc. In short, it takes the hand of a person who knows that mechanism and knows how to do the job.

The other students were unanimous in agreeing with their friend.

Satisfied, the teacher asked:

- Very well. So everyone agrees that for something to work it takes someone's effort?

She paused, looking slowly around the room, then continued:

- Great! And what about the Universe, which is so immense? Who can tell me what man makes the sun rise every morning? Or who makes the little plants sprout? Or who makes the seasons always happen at a certain time?

Realising, finally, where their teacher intended to arrive, the children smiled satisfied.

The boy who claimed that God did not exist lowered his head in shame.

The teacher seized the moment to fixate the lesson, asking everyone:

- So who does all these wonderful things?

And they all answered in unison:

- GOD!

- Does anyone have any questions?

Louie raised his head and replied:

- No, teacher!

Satisfied, the teacher concluded the subject:

- Very well. God created everything that exists, including us. That is why He is OUR FATHER. The Universe is governed by wise, just, perfect and unchanging laws, and we are all subject to them. But above all, we must remember that God loves us all, because He is deeply good and merciful.

Louie, after all that, said to everyone's joy:

- I’ll pass the lesson to my parents, Miss. I do not think they have ever thought about it in that way!

Aunt Celia

 

Translation:

Johnny Silveira - silveirajohnny@yahoo.com