A Memory from a Trip to India

Initially posted on March 8, 2006 after my first trip to India and Children's Fellowship of India

Dr. Gouday

I met many interesting people while in India.  One of which was Dr. Gouday. Every time I would see him, Dr. Gouday would say, “Every day is a good day!”  This grey haired and frail man was, in his prime, the leading leprosy surgeon in central India. Because of his work, he was held in high esteem by his fellow Indians. 

On the last day of the Bible conference at which I was teaching, one of my teammates and I took a seat in the rear of the pavilion. I was surprised to see Dr. Gouday sitting to my left. He looked at me and said, “Every day is a good day!” (I liked the guy’s optimism, but I wondered if he ever had a BAD day). He then went on to tell me that the previous evening at the conference, a woman was bitten by a scorpion. They rushed her to his home where he administered an antidote and she was fine. I asked him if scorpion bites ever proved fatal and he told me “Of course.” Gulp. When my teammate and I heard that, we began watching where we stepped.We did not want to die of a scorpion bite on the far side of the world!

Just as our respect for scorpions grew with Dr. Gouday’s story, so our respect for sin should grow as we read what the Bible has to say about it. Sin is an evil that God hates.And it has a deadly capability to destroy lives. Yet, all too often we dabble with it, toy with it, and bottom line, fail to take it seriously. Friends, beware of sin. Stay as far away from it as possible. Listen to what God tells us.  “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” (Romans 6:11-12);  “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God..” (2 Corinthians 7:1); “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” (1 Peter 2:11). Let’s commit to be on the alert for sin and when we see it coming our way, run the other way! And if we do get bitten by it (and this will only happen if WE choose to allow it!), let’s be quick to repent and confess it to God, knowing that “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj