This story is by Larry L. Powell and was part of our 2020 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Professor Coker is teaching at Northwestern State University, and he is lecturing to his students.
“You cannot always see the truth, but you know when it is there because you feel it, you know that it exists just like you, IT EXISTS! You are conscious of your existence, right? However, is truth conscious of its existence? If it is, wouldn’t it be quite furious with, and oppose a lie? If you are truly truth in the flesh, conscious of your existence, you would probably kill a liar, huh? Maybe or perhaps not. The natural progression of elements opposite of each other seem to cancel one another out, right?
A balance is thereby created with the two in existence, as-long-as one does not try to occupy the other one’s space. One cannot be recognized without the other, and cannot exist without the other. It’s like hot and cold, day and night, and so forth.
Okay then ‘real talk,’ don’t take what I am saying literally to you as advice, please. If you are some type of introverted extremist, please do not let your mind fool you into thinking that you stand for truth, or that you are truth and therefore you must eradicate a liar’s ass. That is not the point I am trying to get across to you all. Just know that elements and people operate on an entirely different scale when it comes to balance.
“Let me ask you this, are any of you religious, or Christians to the core? The reason I ask this question is because I do not wish to offend any of my students. Most students claim to not be religious but are spiritual in some form or fashion.
In the Bible, it says that God gave us 10 commandments. The Bible states that God said:
- Thou shall not have any other Gods
- Thou shall not make idols
- Thou shall not misuse the name of the Lord thy God.
In that order, it’s all Thou Shall Not. It doesn’t say what thou shall do, the professor said angrily. Now there are more commandments as you know, but all God is saying here is Thou shall not, He never says what Thou shall do. I am repeating myself so, you will get this. Let this soak into your minds a bit.”
As a musician named Sky is walking towards the classroom and coming from his own class 3 doors down, he can hear Professor Coker’s drill instructors like voice. Sky past the classroom, takes two steps back, peeks inside and says loudly, “Yes! God Almighty did say what thou shall do, HE SAID, THOU SHALL NOT.”
The entire student body is overpowered with laughter. Professor Dr. Robert E. Coker looks at Sky with an angry half-grin and says, “Sir, would you like to teach my class for fifteen, of the next thirty minutes I have left to teach? I would love to hear what you have to say about an entity that only exists in the human mind to explain death.”
“No, sir! This is your class. I would not want to impose upon your lecture, although I do feel the need to elaborate on what I believe to be true in the existence of an All Mighty God and His messages,” Sky replies.
Sky’s real name is, Lawrence Godwin and he is there at the university taking the course Recreation 101. He also recently accepted a job working at a Youth Activity Center.
“Young man, I insist that you take this opportunity to explain your truth in interrupting my class lecture,” Professor Robert Coker states.
“Good afternoon class, my name is Lawrence Godwin. I am here as a guest taking a recreation course for my new job as a morale support specialist, on a Military Post in Leesville, Louisiana.
What do I do there? Well, I am a Youth Activities Center worker, and I set up activities for military families children at on post afterschool program installation. I mark baseball, soccer, and football fields as well as coach basketball for the kids.”
Professor Coker is now looking at Sky. He holds his wrist up to look at his watch and says, “You have twelve minutes left to, explain to my class why you believe they should believe in a God like you do Mr. Godwin,” Professor Coker stated loudly.
“Well! Let me start off by saying that this whole belief in anything is passed on information, and no one or nothing can teach you better than your own experiences. For instance, when a mailperson delivers the mail to you, it is totally up to you to open it and to read the contents. The same applies to Professor Coker and I when we deliver a lecture or message to you all. Is it a message to you, or is it just a lecture?” Sky asks.
Professor Coker is nodding his head in an up and down motion in agreement, and there is a smirk on his face.
“Right at this moment, class, you all are being programmed. Yes! That’s right. You are all being programmed by the university staff members. Likewise, they too were programmed by either this university or some other university in this country or another country. Nevertheless, ‘truth be told,’ You Cannot Program God Almighty.
When The Almighty God created you all, you know what He did? He first had to create the environment into which to place you. For example, if you go to the pet store to purchase goldfish, what is it that you should do before you make the goldfish purchase?
One of the female student’s yells, “YOU SHOULD PURCHASE A FISHBOWL OR AN AQUARIUM RIGHT?”
“That is correct! You create an environment for the fish. This is what The Almighty God does. He creates, because He is The Creator of all that exists.”
“He is also a killer, a male student replied harshly. So why does he have the right to kill and he tells us we don’t, and if we do, we pay throughout all eternity? It sounds like a load of crap to me,” The student says with malice.
Professor Coker is laughing out loud and quite naturally, many of the other students are laughing as well.
“You have five minutes Mr. Godwin,” Professor Coker announces.
“Okay, what is your name, sir?” Sky asks. “My name is Dexter Rodgers,” The student answers.
“Ok, Dexter! Almighty God is not a killer. However, He does destroy that in which is not in harmony with His Creation. You see, if I was to create an android and program it to function a certain way and it decides to do the opposite of what I program it to do, then I have a right to terminate or destroy it because I created it. However, we are all given free will by Almighty God. We can follow His rules and Commandments, or we can do it our own way, and suffer the consequences by ourselves. But, once again ‘truth be told’, that is why He came amongst us to die in our places as Jesus Christ. The price has already been paid in full.
Ok, class, Professor, you all have a very blessed day. Thanks so much for allowing me the opportunity to deliver a message from The Creator of everything.”
Sky is on his way back home when he witnesses an accident. An F150 truck runs a stoplight and plows into a silver minivan. Sky parks his vehicle. He then jumps out and runs to where the accident took place. There he sees an 8-month pregnant woman in excruciating pain in the minivan, and inside of the truck is a man with his head on the steering wheel intoxicated.
As Sky calls out to him asking is he ok, the man looks up at Sky and says, “I’m so sorry. I have problems at home with my wife Pam and son Dexter.” Sky advises the man to not leave before the police arrive.
“Are you Mr. Rodgers?”
“Yes! How do did you know?”
“I met Dexter.”
Sky then drives the woman to the hospital. The nurses and doctors take the pregnant woman to ICU immediately, perform an Emergency C-Section, and deliver the baby safely. The doctors tell Sky that if it had been 5 minutes later, the mother and baby would not have made it. The doctors thank Sky and inform him that if he wants to leave, he can because the woman’s husband is on the way. Sky says ok and thanks the doctors. On his way out of the hospital he sees a man who is irate and frantic. IT IS PROFESSOR COKER.
“YOU! What are you doing here, Mr. Godwin?”
“Professor Coker, is it your wife and child here in ICU?”
“She had the baby already? How did you know they are here, what happened?”
“There was a truck that ran a light. Almighty God, He spared their lives. They’re fine now.
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