Phylbert’s
Words
to the
Wise

THERE ONCE WAS A PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR at the University of Southern California who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal in a mandatory class in logic and critical thinking was to spend the entire semester proving that God couldn't exist, and thus, that belief in a God was not rational. The students were afraid to debate with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years he had taught this class without a significant student opposer. Sure, some had occasionally argued various points (unsuccessfully) against him in the classroom; but because of his brilliant academic reputation and total command of philosophical argumentation, no Christian student had dared to stand against him during the class's dramatic final challenge.

AT THE END OF EVERY SEMESTER, at the final class meeting, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in a so-called God-Man named Jesus, stand up!" In two decades, no one ever did; they knew from school tradition what he would do next. He would say "Anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that he is God, and yet he can't do it. Watch." And, every semester, he would extend his hand dramatically and drop the chalk onto the tile floor at the front of the lecture hall, where it would instantly shatter into a hundred pieces. The students could only stare.

MOST OF THE STUDENTS WERE NOW CONVINCED that God couldn't exist. A number of Christians had slipped through with their personal faith intact, but for twenty years they had been to afraid to stand up to the intellectual intimidation.

A FEW YEARS AGO A YOUNG FRESHMAN enrolled in the course; he was a Christian, and had heard all the stories about the professor, and he was more than a little afraid. But for that entire semester, he prayed before each class meeting that he would have the courage to defend his faith, no matter what the prof said or the students thought. He resolved that nothing they could do would ever shatter his faith. He bided his time.

FINALLY THE LAST CLASS PERIOD, the day of the showdown, came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" Professor and classmates alike stared in surprise at the Christian student as he stood up at the back of the hall. The arrogant and incredulous professor shouted "You FOOL! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He began to perform his prize stunt, but he fumbled with the chalk, and it slipped through his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his trousers, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the floor, it slowly rolled away, unbroken.

THE PROFESSOR'S JAW DROPPED as he stared at the intact piece of chalk; he looked up at the freshman and stormed out of the lecture hall. The young man walked to the front of the room and proceeded to share his faith in Jesus for the next half-hour; 300 students stayed and listened to his story of God's love for them and the power of Jesus.

The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.
(Psalm 14:1)