The Story of Doug and Bob!
Once upon a time, in Southern Australia lived two best friends. They were Doug and Bob. Bob lived in a lovely little cottage beside Doug. They often studied and played together. They cared for each other. They were as inseparable as twin brothers.
One day Doug heard that there was a wild fire spreading across the forest and that their cottages were in the way of that fast spreading fire.
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1st Ending:-
Doug went over to Bob's cottage to warn him. Bob just laughed and shrugged it off. Bob was very sure that the winds will blow the fires the opposite direction as it had always done the previous years.
Doug did not want his best friend to perish in the fire. But he also was aware that if he forced Bob, Bob would get angry with him. Doug did not want to offend his best friend. He felt that his relationship with his best friend was most important. So he stopped warning him of the fire. He continued to spend his time studying and playing with his best friend. Over the next few days, Doug himself forgot about the fire. He just lived as though the fire will not spread to his cottage.
The fire spread rapidly and ravaged both their cottages. Both Bob and Doug perished pitifully in that fire.
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2nd Ending:-
Doug went over to Bob's cottage to warn him. But something stopped him. Doug knew that Bob did not believe that these wild fires in the forest would spread toward the cottages. He was always optimistic that the winds will blow the fires away. He never believed in weather reports either because half of what the weathermen predicted never came true. Also Bob never liked to be forced into accepting the views of others. He believed in only what he was convinced in. Therefore Doug did not want to offend Bob. He did not want to ruin their brotherly friendship. So he did not bother to warn Bob.
Meanwhile Doug had already packed his stuff in his own cottage. He was selfishly prepared to go to a safer place when the fires were near. He was prepared to flee. While waiting for the fires to spread, he continued to study and play with Bob as though all was fine.
The north winds blew suddenly without warning and the fires rapidly spread towards their cottages. Doug took his bags and fled to safety.
The fires ravaged both their cottages. Bob who did not believe Doug, began to scream in fear, "Doug, why did you leave me and run? You were like a brother to me! Couldn't you have tried to make me understand and convince me somehow and brought me along with you? What kind of a friend are you? Doug! Doug! I trusted in our friendship! You betrayed me! Help! Someone help meeeeeeee!" Then there was a deafening silence all around.
Bob sadly perished in the fire. Doug was still alive somewhere with a guilty conscience because He did not try to get his best friend saved.
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3rd Ending:-
Doug went over to Bob's cottage to warn him. Doug knew that Bob was always skeptical about these forest fires spreading towards their cottages. Bob believed that the usual South winds would blow the fire away, the other direction as it always happened.
This time the weather report predicted that the North winds will blow much stronger. But again, Bob never believed in the weather reports as most often what was predicted never came true. He believed only what he felt and saw with his own eyes.
Doug knew he could not change Bob's mind. He loved his friend too much to let him die in the fire.Therefore Doug did the only thing he knew would work. He knew that the only person who could change Bob's mind was God.
Doug knelt and prayed outside Bob's cottage. He humbly asked God to give Bob the understanding and to open Bob's eyes to see the truth. He knew he could not convince Bob by his own effort.Then after praying, he knocked confidently on Bob's door. Doug warned Bob about the fire. Skeptical Bob, did not believe Doug at first. Somehow Doug explained the condition of the weather in a convincing manner to him. Bob was somehow convinced and he immediately packed his things. He got ready to leave his cottage with Doug.
Doug knew it was not his way of convincing but God Who helped to change Bob's mind. He knelt humbly and thanked God Almighty for opening the mind and heart of Bob to know and accept the truth.
Both Bob and Doug fled to safety before the fires ravaged and burnt both their homes down. Their cottages were completely burnt to ashes, but they both survived through God's grace and mercy.
Both Bob and Doug lived happily ever after as best friends and brothers till a ripe old age.
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My question to the reader is this.
If you were Doug, which ending would you have chosen? Why?
My friend, would you be that best friend, that brother/sister, and pray for your friend/friends to be saved from hell's eternal fire. Then would you obediently go with the Holy Spirit's help to convince your friend to put his/her hope in Christ alone?
Praying for those who do not know Jesus and for those who reject Him is the right thing to do. But that alone is not sufficient. We must obey the command of Jesus in Matthew Chapter 28. We must go and tell them about Jesus and what He did to save all the human beings from eternal death.
I pray that God will be with you as you humbly and boldly go and spread the Good News to all you meet. God will reward you greatly in heaven for your faithful obedience.
God bless you 🙌
Mary Augustine ✍️🌹
Friday 24th February
