God sent a Message

Once upon a time there was a Church of England theological college attached to a University. Some of the students intended to become vicars. Some merely wanted to live in a Christian community while studying for a University degree.

Two young men shared a room. One of them wanted to become a vicar. He had been accepted to study to become a vicar, and the technical word was that he was an ordinand - he was on the road to being ordained. His side of the room had religious books and items of a religious nature.

His room mate had no such high ambitions. He was simply getting a degree on the way to entering the world of work. The second young man had a hobby of brewing beer and making wine. Much of his side of the room was given over to racks of bottles in various stages of fermentation.

The first young man was quite good looking. Sometimes he would look at himself in the mirror, trying to see what his congregation would one day see. He was only human, and he took pride in his appearance.

Once, when his room mate was out, he locked the door.

He tried on the clothing he was not yet entitled to wear - and indeed had no reason to have bought yet. He admired his reflection in the mirror.

As the young man admired his reflection, a bottle exploded on the other side of the room. He was hit on a shoulder by the cork. Was it a message from God?

He had never before been hit by a cork, despite being in the room when the odd cork had popped. He had never been quite so prideful of his appearance as he was being at thatr moment.

A rationalist might say that corks do pop, and it was just coincidence. For the cork to pop at that moment, and to hit him at that moment, was pretty unlikely.

The young man decided that God had spoken to him. Metaphorically. God had tapped him on the shoulder and told him to be less proud.

 Coincidence, or was it God sending a message?