The Pulpit Speaks: March 26, 1960

An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown.

Life has a peculiar way of filing our skies with clouds. Ofttimes we wonder just what we are going to do to make out of life that which means so much to us. Strive as you may, seemingly you never can get things going. In many instances, it seems that all doors have closed at once. The human element at this point makes us cry out for those pains that inflict the greatest misery on us.

A few evenings ago I went to a local store to purchase some money orders. On my way I was thinking about the long 30 days it took me to earn this money. Now with it in my hand for less than 30 hours, it was almost gone. I remarked that if I could just get my house and car paid for, I could make it. The lady about to take part of my last few dollars looked up, pointed at me, and said, “Ask the Lord to help you!”

Never before had these words meant so much to me! Ofttimes I had told this to other people, but here at one of my lowest moments, they came back to me. Here I stood like Elijah, hiding from the real issues of life. I, who should have been the source of comfort to others, found myself receiving comfort.

To me, I was plagued with the bitterness of a society that made me disgruntled with many of the things with which I came in contact. But how justified was I? It only takes a look about you to see that there are countless people around you who are in far worse shape. In spite of the fact that my children place a great demand upon me as far as financial responsibilities are concerned, I know people what are met daily with even greater responsibilities.

On the other hand, these little ones and my wife appreciate what I am trying to do for them. Yet as I read newspapers daily, I see children and wives who are not nearly as appreciative. I read further and talk with people day in and day out and I see that I am not alone in bearing crosses. People in all walks of life have some type of crosses that burden them constantly.

I, like many of you, can boast one of these days of having paid for a house and a car. I can boast of not having excessive doctor’s or hospital bills to pay. I can take pride in that fact that God has given me a portion of health and — although most of the time, I do barely make it — I make it nevertheless. As I look back over life, I can’t be too disgruntled over the fact that I have crosses. This in itself says something to me.

Time and time again, I as I now look back over life, God has stepped in and disaster has been averted. Throughout my life, God has exercised his will through some person so that I have been able to move on. So one finds himself acknowledging that sure God has taken care of him. Each of us can look about us on any given day and see people who are far worse off than ourselves. By the same token, we see people what are, from all outward appearances, doing better than we. But in spite of this, we must muster up enough force — with the help of God — to overcome our little problems in life.

When life apparently has us down, we must look beyond ourselves to find a way out. All of our problems can never and will never be solved by ourselves. In the midst of doubt, fear, and misapprehensions, we must rely on God to show us a way out. Sooner or later, each one of us must realize that anything worth having has a price on it. Sometimes this is expressed in term of tears or sweat or sacrifices, but whatever they are, we must see the help of God to see us through.

But in the final analysis, are we not better people by having to walk the valley and shadow of death and all the other experiences we endure here on this earth? Are not we stronger people when daily we are exposed to temptations, trials, tribulations, and misapprehensions? Are not these God-ordained things to draw us a little closer to God? In the final analysis, these things must happen — there is no question about that!

Through fires, through floods, or through adversities, this life must come that when all is over, we can appreciate and enjoy the reward of the better things of life. It must be accepted that life is so designed that into each life, some rain must fall, some clouds must come, and some deceit must come so that we might be in a position to appreciate the better and nobler things of this world and the world to come.

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