‘Rat poison is 99% good grain’

Pastor Arnie Wyllie

Knowledge is good! But, there is a vast difference between knowledge - which is “having the facts” – and wisdom, which is “applying those facts to life”. We may stockpile a huge amount of knowledge, but without wisdom, all that knowledge is useless. We must learn to “live out” what we know. In this age of information knowledge is plentiful, but wisdom is scarce. In the Bible, the Book of Proverbs is a collection of wise statements. A proverb is a short, to-the-point sentence that conveys moral truth. Two examples of King Solomon’s wisdom from our Bible are: - “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth.” (Proverbs 12:22) - “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother. Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise.” (Proverbs 23:22-24) King Solomon gives us hundreds of examples of how we should live according to godly wisdom. These two deal with truth. Alex Strebchuk was the “patriarch” of the High Prayer-ie Church of the Nazarene. Alex did not write a book, much less a book of proverbs. Alex’s life was his book. His character spoke volumes. His gruff disposition could not hide the quality of his life. Alex died one year ago. Alex did have one proverb. He used it a many times. Alex’s proverb deals with truth. His proverb is, “Rat poison is 99 per cent good grain.” Alex’s proverb described how the devil deceives people. The devil uses quite a bit of truth with just enough lies to lead you astray. The tiniest speck of untruth in a statement turns the whole thing into a lie. “Rat poison is 99 per cent good grain.” Alex would want you to know that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Him.” (John 14:6) The devil wants you to believe there are many ways to live a “good life” and many ways to get to heaven. He has most of the world convinced of this lie. Alex also would want you to know “the Truth, and that the Truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Jesus Himself is the truth that sets you free. Free from what? Free from the lies that lead to hell. We encounter lies from all sides, including those from within ourselves. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are “good enough” to go to Heaven. The devil is the rat that sets out poison for us. His lies look 99 per cent good, but that one per cent poison is all that is needed to contaminate the whole idea. If Alex could communicate anything to you right now, he would not beat around the bush with nice sounding words so he would not offend you. He would give you the truth even if the only way he could convey it to you was blunt and to the point. Kind of like the way Jesus did things. Jesus did not bother with being “politically correct”. He told the truth. Alex told the truth. Jesus told the truth because He loved you. Alex was no different. Here is the truth that Jesus and Alex want you to know. Someday, you will stand before Jesus. It may happen - as with Alex - you will die and enter eternity. Or, someday, Jesus will return. Jesus and Alex want you to know that God loves you and has a plan for you – a plan that includes this life and eternal life. God loves you and wants you to really live, both now and forever. “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The Bible gives you the bad news and the Good News all in one sentence: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) What happens when you choose to receive this gift of God? The Bible says, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) So, do not buy into the devil’s lies which tell you there are lots of ways to Heaven. Do not buy into the rat poisoned notions that you can “get by” with a half-hearted stab at “being good enough”. “Rat poison is 99 per cent good grain!” Remember the proverb of Alex Strebchuk. Remember Alex Strebchuk’s Saviour.