Recognizing his limited knowledge of the book’s content, young ambitious Leonard reached a decision. Arriving home one evening, he carried in his satchel a fresh-bought Bible. With a pen and
Recognizing his limited knowledge of the book’s content, young ambitious Leonard reached a decision.
Arriving home one evening, he carried in his satchel a fresh-bought Bible. With a pen and a clean ledger added to his arsenal, Leonard smiled. “There! All that remains now is to read through it, registering its errors as I go. We will have that discussion, the missionary and I, and I shall be ready.”
What the young man did not factor in was a bold, terse phrase lying within the ancient text. Nothing could have prepared Leonard for the moment.
“Splendid dining,” Leonard smiled at the missionary’s wife. “I’m a lucky chap, finding this place for my lodging.” Nodding to the family, he excused himself. Entering his room, he gave his body a good stretch. Moving the few steps to his desk, he took up the ledger he had just bought.
Squiggles on an open page revealed his latest entries. Markings showed his focused quest to prove the clergyman wrong. To expose the holy book for what it was — a bundle of contradictory myths. He reached for the Bible. Fingering the book marker, he flipped to the page last visited.
Over past weeks his practice had become ritual: Arrive home from a day’s work, down a cup of tea, tidy up a bit, join the family for dinner, retire to his room and resume the task at hand. His daily regimen with the Bible had taken Leonard deep into the Old Testament. He had moved beyond the Wisdom books, jotting notes as he read. All of Prophet Isaiah’s 66 chapters brought the sum of his readings to 23 books.
The book of Jeremiah lay open at chapter 17. Leonard came to verse nine, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Leonard Coote was drawn in. He read it once more. And was utterly undone.
NOTE: Speaker-Writer Jerry Lout grew up in Okmulgee County. A graduate of Preston High School, he completed media training at OSUIT in Okmulgee prior to his San Antonio college years. He and his wife served 20 years as missionaries in Africa, afterwards directing a Tulsa University campus ministry. Twice visited by polio, Jerry authored “Living With A Limp.” His “Giants in the Rough” memoir highlights the Africa years. Both works are available on Amazon.com and his website, www.jerrylout.com, features his blog entries. Jerry welcomes inquiries and comments via email at: jerrylout@gmail.com.
©2019 Jerry Lout
