A Man's Journey

A man left the antique store with great enthusiasm. He had just purchased a very valuable shield. It would need some work but never the less a very good find. He began to feel
the weight of the heavy shield and realized he needed to get home.

Approaching the busy intersection he noticed the names of the street signs were oddly different. Destiny Ave N.S, and Purpose St. E.W. This discovery left the man very confused. His new treasure was starting to take atoll on his arm and out of desperation he began asking for directions to the people passing by.

"Excuse me Miss, I'm trying to get home. Which way do I go?" The lady replied, go one block north on Destiny Ave. and then go one block south. You should have no problem."

Bewildered he asked another person for help.

"Excuse me Sir; I'm trying to get home. Can you help me find my way?" The gentleman replied, "Take Purpose St. one block east and then head one block west. You can't miss it."

The man now really starting to feel the weight of his treasured shield stood at the intersection absolutely clueless. He quietly muttered to himself, "What are these people talking about? And why are these signs reading N.S. and E.W? Can't these people see something's wrong?”

Just then a stranger in a white robe walked up to the man and handed him an open Bible, smiled and started walking North on Destiny Ave. The man now very tired from carrying his treasure which was almost now becoming a burden put down his shield and began to read from the open Bible.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6

"Hmmm, that's interesting”, the man thought. Curiously he watched as the stranger walked up Destiny Ave one block, and continued walking in the same direction. When he reached the second block the stranger began waving his arm beckoning the man to come.

The man became excited and exclaimed, "Finally someone with direction that makes sense.” When he put down the Bible to pick up his shield, the shield had changed. It shone like the sun and seemed weightless. With the other hand he went to pick up the Bible but it was no longer there. The only thing in front of him was a sword that appeared to have a double edged blade and it too shone like the sun.

An arrow suddenly flew past him missing his skull by just inches. The arrow had a label on it that read "Materialism" Another arrow nearly grazed his back. The label on that arrow read "Greed" The man noticed these arrows were oozing with poison. He could see the writing in the poison was filled with endless repetitions of their labels.

Instinctively he grabbed the weightless glorious shield and held it in front of his body. Another arrow flew, this time hitting the shield. The man looked down at his feet. The poison dripping from the arrow read "Doubt" He wrenched the failed arrow from the shield and to his surprise the shield didn't seem to be pierced at all. He carefully picked up the double edged sword in his other hand and began to head toward the surprisingly still beckoning stranger. The whole time the arrows kept coming.

One by one he warded them off, arrows carrying labels of Lust, Pride, Anger, Unforgiveness, Bitterness, Dishonesty, and Unfaithfulness,

He used the double edged sword to slice through unthinkable barriers that were now falling in his path. But he kept heading toward the stranger. When he reached where the stranger had been standing, everything around him had dramatically changed.

He now stood on a hill before three crosses, the middle cross glowing with peacefulness. As the man knelt before the glowing cross he noticed a pool of blood before him. The pool continued to increase and began to flow down the hill and covered the world. In a feeling of absolute awe he felt his body being dipped into the awesome pool of blood and heard a fluttering noise of what sounded like a dove's wings.

When the man opened his eyes he found himself staring at his bedroom ceiling. He glanced over to his computer and noticed there were only a few minutes remaining on the eBay auction. No one had out bid him for a very rare and prized medieval shield.

He heard a voice. The voice said................."Trust me"


"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21