It's all in the Application

I read the story recently of a rabbi and soap maker who went for a walk together. The soap maker had some negative things to say about religion: "What good is religion? Just look around you. What do you see? Trouble, misery, wars - even after all these years and years of preaching and teaching about goodness, truth, peace. What good is religion with all its prayers and sermons if all this evil still exists?” The rabbi kept quiet as they continued their walk. Then they noticed a child playing in the gutter. The child was just filthy with dirt and mud. The rabbi said to the soap maker: "Look at this child! Now you say that soap makes people clean, but what good is it? With all the soap in the world this child is still dirty. What good is soap after all?" The soap maker immediately answered him: "But rabbi, soap can’t do its job if it isn’t used!" The rabbi said, "The same is true with religion." What an incredible truth! While religion is looked upon as being suspect and inefficient by many, God offers so much to us through it.  However, our ability to receive depends upon its application.  Medicines can be prescribed, encouragement offered, advice given, but if not applied these do no good. This is the case with our spiritual lives. Faith, prayer, praise, and submission hold the key to making the facets of religion work. When taken seriously and used effectively they bring peace, victory, joy, and perpetual satisfaction. Dirt requires soap and sin a spiritual remedy, but just not in name only. The benefits are offered but success comes only when the principles are applied. So if you have found yourself being skeptical, doubtful, or disappointed why not try religion. Just remember success is not a given but comes as we participate with God which means it’s all in the application.