Rabbi and a soap maker went for a walk together. The soap maker asked, "What good is religion? Look at all the trouble and misery of the world after thousands of years of teaching about goodness, truth, and peace, after all the prayers and sermon. If religion is so good for people, why should this be?"

The Rabbi said nothing. They continued walking until he noticed a child playing in the gutter. The Rabbi said, "Look at the child: you say that soap makes people clean, but look at the dirt on that youngster. Of what good is soap? With all the soap in the world, so many are filthy. I wonder how effective soap is after all?"

The soap maker protested strongly, "But Rabbi, soap can't do any good unless it is used."

"Exactly," replied the Rabbi, "so it is with religion".

For Christ-followers, each passing year offers opportunities for more serious thoughts about things that really matter in life. After all, the meaning of the word 'religion' comes from the Latin, re, once again and ligare, to link up or put things in order. So the question is how religious are we? Are we putting things in order with ourselves, with others and with our God? Nothing is so fatal to religious life than custom generated indiference. People will converse much about religion, will write for it, fight for it, and even die for it; anything but incorporate it into their daily lives and live it.

Một Thoáng Suy Tư