Safely Enter In – May 07, 2000
A short story tells of a king who allowed prisoners to choose their own fate—they were placed in an arena and told to select one of two closed doors. Behind one door was a ferocious tiger, and behind the other was a beautiful maiden to marry.1 Very often our own lives mirror this tale, as a moment’s decision can mean disaster—or deliverance.
We are surrounded by doors—in our homes and businesses, in cars and buses—some which lead in and others to take us out.
Depending on which portal we choose, we affect our destination. Many hurry through the beckoning entrances of bars, casinos, and nightclubs, only to find themselves trapped in a world of addiction, unable to find the exit. Some of us find ourselves pushing and pulling doors in a busy whirl of activity, yet none of these will really lead us where we most want to go. However, there are some doors that can be opened only with a special key. Often it’s these gateways which lead us to things we value: our families, hearth and home, our places of sacred worship.
A famous painting depicts a door with no doorknob, which opens from only one side. It shows the Lord standing, knocking, and waiting for us to invite Him in.2 Of all the doors we open, this one is the most important and leads us to happiness and life eternal. If we’re too busy in the revolving doors of our lives and work, we may miss this crucial door.
In the story about the maiden or the tiger, prisoners had no way of knowing which door led to safety and which led to destruction. We’re sometimes more fortunate, for our consequences may be plain to see. But what a tragedy it would be to see through the doors and still, foolishly, choose the tiger.
Next time you reach for a door handle, ask yourself: “Is this really where I want to go? Will the Savior be on the other side? Could I take Him with me where I’m going?”
Program #3690
1. See Mark Zimmerman, “The Lady, Or The Tiger?” in The Encyclopedia of the Self, (1999).
2. Del Parson, Jesus Knocking at the Door