Seemingly Insignificant Things

When King Henry VIII decided to exchange his first wife, Catherine, for the
younger and lovelier Anne Boleyn, the Vatican threatened to excommunicate him.
Negotiations went on for months between the King’s emissaries and the Pope.
The Pope welcomed the King’s most trusted associate, The Earl of
Wilshsire, to the Vatican in one last ditch attempt to patch things up. Now,
the Earl never traveled without his faithful companion, a dog, and this trip
to Rome was no exception.

At that time, those in the presence of the Pope had to prostrate themselves
and kiss his extended toe. The Earl of Wilshire dutifully lay on the floor as
the Pope thrust his toe toward him. The dog misunderstood. Thinking his
master was in danger, he lunged at the Pope and instead of a kiss, the Pope’s
toe received a bite.

This, understandably, enraged the Pope’s guard and they promptly killed the
dog. Bedlam ensued; the result was the Pope dismissed them all and the Earl
returned to England sans his dog. King Henry, upon hearing the account,
immediately began proceedings to separate England from the jurisdiction of
Rome.

Seemingly insignificant things.......have changed the course of History.......

The Bible records many “seemingly insignificant things” that changed the
direction of our world. Of course, the “classic” one occurred in the Garden
of Eden when the serpent enticed Eve with a piece of fruit: “Try it, my dear,
you’ll like it.....,” he promised.

Many centuries later, Esau, tired from a hunting trip, and very hungry, asked
his brother, “What will you take for that bowl of bean soup?” The Arabs and
Jews are still mad at each other over that one.

Years had passed by when Joseph innocently told his older brothers, “Let me
tell you about a dream I had....” He ended up second to the Pharaoh of Egypt.

These seemingly insignificant things changed the life of not only those around
them, but they affect our lives even yet today.

There are more: balconies could be dangerous places in Old Testament times.
King David was restless, decided to walk on his balcony one evening, and became
a murderer. Jezebel leaned over her balcony to better see the goings-on below and
ended up
dog food.

Seemingly insignificant things..........but the world has not been the same
since.

Jumping ahead to New Testament times, a group of shepherds told their wives
they were going to the hills above Bethlehem. It was their turn to watch the
sheep that night and they would return in the morning. No big deal, they
thought.

Three decades later, King Herod tells a young girl named Salome, “dance for
me, and I will give you anything you want.” Someone lost their head
over that one.

A woman secretly touches the hem of our Lord’s robe as He passes by.....and is
instantly healed.

Soldiers nail the hands of a simple man from Galilee to a wooden beam, a
secret disciple places this body in a grave......Roman soldiers seal
it.......And the World has not been the same since. Neither has Heaven.......

One hundred twenty meet in an Upper Room, Peter preaches his first sermon;
Saul takes a trip to Damascus and gets his name changed to “Paul.” And years
later, the aged Apostle John is exiled to the Isle of Patmos. He writes the Apocalypse,
in which he quotes our
Risen Lord:

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear
the words of this prophecy,
and keep those things which are written in it;
for the time is near.

Behold, He is coming with clouds and every eye
shall see Him.....
And all the tribes of the earth will mourn
because of Him.....

And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!”
And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’
And let him who thirsts come.
And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Seemingly insignificant words...........but they have the power to change our
lives for eternity.........

Evelyn R. Smith

©1999 Bible Center Church

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