Turtle Wrestling?

Publisher’s Pen

Recently a woman was running errands in her minivan. She shall remain nameless to protect the innocent (me). Rounding a turn on a country road, she abruptly came upon a stopped car, hazard lights flashing.

Now, as I understand from the incident report communicated to me later, this woman slowly rolled forward and witnessed the vehicle’s occupants standing out front, staring at the pavement. Suddenly they jumped, ran for their car, and drove away.

Dale Mason
Publisher

Driving forward, the woman saw a dark mound and soon realized that it was . . . a turtle, a big turtle, unwilling to surrender its hard-earned position in crossing the asphalt.

The unnamed woman—who has the same wedding anniversary as me—was concerned for the creature. Running back to her minivan, she grabbed the best tool available. A baby stroller!

Now armed with little black wheels at the front of a dainty aluminum frame, the nice woman attempted to push to safety the hissing, snapping “walking cathedral” (which we just happen to have an article about in this issue of Answers magazine, see page 40).

Eventually, the unsuccessful turtle-rescuer drove away, with the reluctant reptile snapping at her tires. Watching her rearview mirror in fear that the next vehicle might create a puddle of chunky squish, she saw the driver get out. He was a brawny man. Unlike the woman, he boldly approached Mr. Turtle, grabbed him by the tail, and flung him deep into the forest. The road was clear, and the relocated turtle was soon munching grass safely beyond the hot asphalt.

There is a lesson in this funny but true account. The threatening turtle is like people who attack Scripture with intimidating words. The kind lady is like people who are well-intentioned but too timid to help the misdirected attacker. Mr. Bold is like someone who trusts confidently in God’s Word and can handle well-armored attackers. Which one are you?

This issue of Answers in filled with muscular tools—many articles to help you on topics where the Bible is under attack. I pray you will be as gentle as the stroller-wielding woman, and as strong as Mr. Bold the next time you confront a “snapping turtle” along the road of your life!

All for Him,

Dale Mason Signature
Dale T. Mason, Publisher

“No matter how hard unbelievers try to explain away God, they can’t get away from basic scientific laws. Life and information cannot come from nothing—they must have a Creator. Further, there is no such thing as “simple” life. The simplest organisms ever found are still far too complex to have arisen by chance. These are puzzles evolution will never solve. The Bible tells us that unbelievers are willingly ignorant and without excuse because God has revealed Himself in His Word and given us abundant evidence of who He is in nature.”