The juggler

THINK a minute.
There was a young man who moved from his home in Italy to live in America. He studied juggling and soon became famous all over the world. Later in his life, after years of success as a juggler and performer, he decided to return home to Italy and retire. He sold almost everything he owned and bought a big, expensive diamond. Then he boarded the ship for his home in Italy.

One day he was showing a boy on the ship how he could juggle several apples at one time. Soon a crowd of the passengers gathered around to watch. Then the old juggler got more and more carried away with himself, wanting to impress the crowd. He ran to his room and got his precious diamond. He showed it to the people and explained how the diamond represented his whole life’s work and savings.

Then, to the people’s shock and amazement, he started juggling the diamond! At first, he was careful; but each time he threw the diamond higher and higher. Finally, he told his audience that he would throw the diamond one last time so high that it would disappear for a few seconds. The people begged the old man not to do it, but he wouldn’t listen. So with the confidence of all his years of experience, the juggler threw the diamond so high into the air that it actually did disappear, before it started falling back down, shining and sparkling in the sunlight. Then, just as he was about to catch the diamond, a huge wave suddenly caused the ship to move and lurch forward, causing the juggler not to catch his diamond, which fell into the ocean and sunk, lost forever.

What a sad story. To risk and lose everything you own and have worked for all your life. Yet some of us are just like that juggler. We’re very confident in our own strengths and abilities. We want to be in control and live life our own way, even though our Maker has clearly shown us that the only way to really live successfully is His way. The only way to stay satisfied and safe is the way Jesus Christ showed us. Yet, we keep juggling with our own priceless life just one more day.

But we never know when our life will suddenly end—and we will have lost our eternal life and suffer forever. Friend, for your own sake and happiness, why not ask Jesus to forgive you for all your wrongs and living your own way? Then ask Him to give you His power so you can start changing to live His way every day of your life—before it’s too late. Just Think a Minute.