I heard a story one time about the devil. He decided to get out of the business. He decided to have a yard sale and sell all the tools of his trade. So, he set up a table outside the gates of Hell, where he set out all his tools with a little tag that told what the tool was used for on one side, and how much it cost on the other.
Along came a man, who undoubtedly graduated from Johnson Central, thinking about getting in the trade. He picks up an intimidating looking tool. This booger has chains, and blades, and hoses, and all manner of evil-looking devices to inflict agony. It is gently used. Examining the tag, it reads, “Adultery”. He thinks, “surely this is going to be expensive, adultery would absolutely rip any family apart.” He flips the tag over and finds the price surprisingly, not badly priced!
Moving further down the table, perusing more torturous artifacts, he finally arrives at the end. The last tool was the most primitive tool on the entire table, it was just a metal wedge. That’s it. Like one used to fell a tree, pushing it over in one direction. Thinking it looks strange to be in the company of other, more fearsome looking weapons, he looks at the tag. Shockingly, it is the most expensive item for sale. He flips over the tag and the description given is just this, “discouragement”. That can’t be right.
The man takes the wedge up to the gates of Hell and knocks on the door. The devil answers and asks what he can do for the man. Holding up the wedge, the man asks is the price is correct. The devil replies, “it sure is!” The man is bewildered and looks over the state of use of the tool again. He says to the devil, “but why is it so expensive, when it is so used?” The devil smiles and tells him, “That is the most powerful thing I have. You see, I approach a Christian mother and look over her armor. I find the smallest crack and I poke that wedge into it. I beat it into her, splitting open her armor. Making her feel ineffective. I find a soul that is so well armored that I can’t get any of those other tools to work, I can’t get any of those other poisons in them. But all I need is a crack, and I stick that wedge in there and it will fell the most powerful of soldiers.
Why do Christians walk out on God? They got discouraged in a storm somewhere. They need to be reminded that when they are sinking in that storm that we serve a walk-on-the-water Savior, who tells us to get out of the boat in the storm and come to Him. Watch out! (1 Peter 5.8)