Gilligan's Island Is Sinking!
Gilligan’s Island is Sinking!
Dr. Vince Hefner, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Cherryville, N.C.
A few nights ago I was scrolling through the television lineup and came upon an episode of “Gilligan’s Island.” As I began to watch the show I was reminded of a conversation that I had years ago with one of my daughters. I believe she was about nine at the time, and she rushed up to me with some startling news, “Daddy, Gilligan is going to drown!” My mind rushed with fear at the thought of someone drowning at my house until I remembered that I didn’t have a pool, and besides I don’t even know anyone named Gilligan.
“Who is Gilligan and where is he drowning?” I asked.
“He is on that island with the rest of the castaways!” I was informed as if I should know what she was talking about. Just to let you know, we let our children watch the t.v. channel with all the old shows like, “Gilligan’s Island,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Laverne and Shirley,” “I love Lucy,” etc. I smiled and tried to assure her by saying, “Honey, Gilligan is not going to drown.” Instead of helping the situation, I had only made it worse. My daughter thought I was talking down to her as if she didn’t know what she was talking about. She placed her hands on her hips, jutted out her jaw and said, “Ohhhh yes Gilligan is going to drown, the Island is sinking because the Professor said it was, and they have only three days to live!” She was upset and mad.
I told her that the Professor was wrong, the Island was not going to sink, and Gilligan and the rest would be just fine. Then she demanded, “How do you know what is going to happen?” I told her, “Honey, I have seen all the episodes of Giligan’s Island when I was a kid.” Just for good measure I told her what was going to happen at the end of the show. I may not know a lot about the popular shows that are on television today, but I can hold my own on, “Gilligan trivia!”
The main reason I liked the old shows is because I know how they are going to end. Even when I watched them for the first time, I knew the ending was going to suit me. This is also true with Scripture. The Bible reminds us how God is in control even when the world tells us otherwise. Psalm 1:1 tells us, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of the sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Life holds so many choices for each of us. How you choose to live your life will determine how you feel during your life. The Bible tells us that the person who stays away from worldly counsel and worldly people will be blessed, or happy. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what job you presently hold in life, if you take bad counsel from bad people you will never, ever be content! The ways of the world will never bring you joy. You can dress up sin in any outfit in an attempt to change its appearance, call it by another name to dull your conscience, but the result will always leave you empty and broken. On the other hand, when you live your life honoring Jesus Christ, you will be blessed regardless of the circumstances of life. You may not know the specifics of your immediate future, but you will know the end result of trusting in and living for Jesus Christ! Just something to think about if you feel like your island is sinking and all hope is lost! Remember; don’t give in to sin!