Melissa Vinson, an honors student at Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida, played a game called “Pass-Out” with two other girls. In the board game, players land on squares that read, “Take a drink” or “Go to the bar” and they recite tongue-twisters on “Pink Elephant” cards. In a two hour period, Melissa consumed most of a liter bottle of vodka. Later that night she began to convulse and blacked out on her living room floor. She was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital in Orlando. Medical examiners concluded that possibly a reaction of the vodka to a prescription drug contributed to her death.
Abraham Bininger, a Swiss boy from Zurich, came with his parents to this country on the same ship with John Wesley. His parents died on the trip and were buried at sea. Young Abraham stepped down the gang-plank alone in a strange and bewildering land. A short time later he decided to take the gospel to the natives on the island of St. Thomas but when he got there he learned that it was illegal for anyone but a slave to preach the gospel to the slaves. He wrote to the governor of the island begging to become a slave himself that he might have the freedom to proclaim the gospel. The letter was forwarded to the king of Denmark who was so touched by Bininger’s desire that he sent an edict to allow him to preach the gospel where, when and to whom he chose. [see also HolwickID #11758]
What do those stories have in common? What is the thread weaving them together? The element of choice. Melissa made a choice and it cost her life; Bininger made a choice and it led him to preach the gospel.
The people of Israel needed to make a choice. They were summoned to Joshua and he recited for them the history of God’s dealing with them beginning with Abraham and continuing through the bondage of Egypt, the exodus with its trials and set-backs, and to that very moment. God had blessed them, guided them, protected them, provided for them. Now the ball was in their court. How would they choose in reference to God? Joshua set a clear demand before them, saying in verses 14-15:
“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
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Story of Melissa from Albany Democrat-Herald newspaper; Bininger illustration from Paul Lee Tan, “Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations.”