Ignorance of Man

James sat in the crowded room at the University of Manitoba, focusing his attention on the second’s hand of the clock. His biology professor, Prof. Patterson always had seemed to have an art in lulling people to sleep. Some of these professors were such bad teachers . . . James changed his position in his seat for what seemed the hundredth time that lecture. Only 45 min. to go, he thought.
Biology was a good subject. James had been very good at biology in high school, so these first few classes were pretty much review to James.
“We see through man a great entity,” said the Prof. “we are the master race! We are always getting bigger and better. As we all know, we started off merely as a monkey, and we have been getting better all the time. We have progressed from living in trees to having a perfect society with great technology and brains. We really are great. Just look at yourselves; wanting to grow smarter and smarter and smarter. And that is what the human race does – gets smarter and smarter. We are getting more and more intelligent and perfect as the days go on. We will keep getting more and more perfect . . . . . . . “
And so the Prof went on. James accepted the idea of evolution as a fact of reality. He had been grown up in an environment that the evolution theory was accepted. After all, there was evidence that evolutionists used. It was not completely blind. After all, it was a very positive thing to believe – that man was always getting better. ‘In a million years, our technology will be the stone age,’ thought James.

James’ thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he gazed to his left. There was a young girl, who was looking down. She seemed very uncomfortable, as if she wished she wasn’t there. James looked into her eyes and he saw it: her eyes were brimmed with passionate tears.
Why must man suffer? Why must he endure the pain of emotion and sadness? Why must the beautiful young girl be saddened? James was touched by a sudden feeling of loneliness. An empty space opened which once felt full . . . an unanswered question.
The class no longer dragged. James was preoccupied with his deep thoughts. He tried to figure out the meaning of life. Why must man stay on earth forever and keep enduring pain and anguish? James kept looking at the beautiful girl. She seemed to be very offended of what the Prof. was saying. She had flowing blonde hair, and had a chain around her neck with a cross on it. ‘She seems beautiful in a different way than most girls,’ thought James. ‘She does not wear revealing clothing, but she is wearing very decent clothes. What attracts me to her?”

After class, James decided that if he didn’t meet the young woman, he would never be able to live at peace with himself again. The girl, still seeming a bit nervous and shaky hurriedly walked down the hall. James quickened his footsteps behind her and worked up the courage to utter, “Excuse me, Miss.”
The girl stopped. “Hi.”
“Hi, my name is James. I was just in biology class with you about 4 seats to your right. What do you think of Prof. Patterson?”
“He’s a good lecturer,” answered the girl. “Nice to meet you. My name is Rachel.”
James paused. He did not know what to say next. Suddenly he blurted, “I think that Prof. Patterson got his evolutionary point across very well today. You know, it is so obvious that the evolution theory is the only possible way that this world came into being.”
“Oh.” Rachel said quietly. Suddenly she had a crisp, sad edge. “You atheists are always after me. It seems that wherever I go in this university there are people offending Gods name. This morning, a person honked at me and gave me the finger because they read my pro-life bumper sticker on the back of my van. I walked the length of 2 football fields to get to my next class, and I saw many indecently dressed people. I even saw a few homosexuals. If they knew I was a Christian, they would give me a dirty look and swear at me for sure; don’t you see my plight? And now, this Prof. tries to tell me that man made all this creation himself – that he succeeded in technology by himself. Let me tell you: God is the creator of even that.”
James was heartbroken. He didn’t mean to offend Rachel. James felt a lump coming up his throat. What was he missing? The hole needed to be filled, and fast, or else he would break down.
“I’m sorry.” He said. It wasn’t much, but it was all that he could say without choking up tears. “What am I missing in my life Rachel? I feel empty.”
Rachel now looked confident. She looked down on James with authority, with a sort of coldness that judged him; it really broke his heart. Rachel simply reached into her book bag and pulled out a tiny red book.
“Fill your space with this,” she said, slowly handing him the book. “May God be gracious to you.”
‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ James paused for a minute. This completely went against he believed. It was not possible to even think of intelligent design at this time. That was a religion for the stupid people who sought refuge in false hopes, yet for Rachel’s sake he continued to flip.
‘And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.’
James knew the story of man’s fall into sin. He kept turning the pages. 1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. James heart stopped for a minute . . . ‘Wait a minute;” he thought. “I must be a sinner according to this book. I must get rid of this book. It records all the sins I have ever done. I don’t share in the promise of this bible.” James looked for a place to hide the book, but there was no place. “James . . . a voice whispered in his head, or was it his imagination. James, I will forgive you if you want my forgiveness. I will give you everything that I have promised you in this book if only you believe and along with Rachel become my beautiful bride.”
James understood. A single tear slipped down his cheek and fell onto the bible. ‘Christ will forgive me! Please Lord, forgive me!