“Hats Off To The Rattlesnakes”

Leroy Brownlow

      Once upon a time there was a family of wayward members of the church who had lost interest and fallen away. There was a father, and three sons, Jim and John, and Sam. The elders had talked with them about their lost condition. The preacher had done everything within reason that he could think of to lead them to repentance. Many of the brethren had tried to encourage them but nothing seemed to help in the least. One day when the boys were out in the pasture, a large rattlesnake bit John, and he became very ill. The physician was called and after an examination, he pronounced that John was in very critical condition. Said he, “About the only thing left now is prayer. You had better call the elders and your preacher at once.” Acting upon this advice, the old man called the preacher, and in tears told him of John’s condition and urged him to gather the elders and come to John’s bedside as soon as possible. The preacher arrived in due time, and was asked to lead the prayer for John’s recovery. This is what he prayed:

            “Oh wise and righteous Father, we thank Thee that Thou in Thy wisdom sent this rattlesnake to bite John in order to bring him to his senses. He has not been inside the church house for years, and it is very doubtful that he has in all this time felt any need of prayer until now. Now we trust that this will lead him to genuine repentance. And now, our Father, wilt Thou send another to bite Sam, and another to bite Jim, and another BIG ONE to bite the old man? We have all been doing everything we knew for years to restore them but to no avail. It seems, therefore, that what all combined efforts would not do, this rattlesnake has done. We thus conclude that the only thing left that will do this family any good is rattlesnakes. So Lord, send us bigger and better rattlesnakes. In the name of Jesus, Amen”