#1 ·
Anyone who skipped last night's big game to catch that documentary, "Shoemaker and God," definitely made the right call. I know I did!
It’s the story of this incredible guy—a local shoemaker who actually studied theology and violin back in Switzerland. He’s also a TV technician, and now he’s even looking into organic farming. What a colorful, multifaceted soul!
He’s thin, almost looks like a Quaker, with these incredibly bright, piercing eyes. When he starts talking about God and the Bible with such intensity, I’ll admit, my first instinct was to change the channel. You think, "Oh boy, here comes another fanatic lost in his own world."
But then you really listen. You see the sheer, personal joy he takes in discussing faith, and how much love he pours into his views on God and humanity. It’s not dark or heavy; it’s actually incredibly positive.
He isn't trying to force a conversion on you or anyone else. There’s none of that "my way or the highway" attitude, and he certainly doesn't preach about the inevitable end of the world like he's some kind of doom-monger. He isn't trying to turn his personal beliefs into a universal rule, and he never tries to demonize people who see things differently.
He just lives his faith. He accepted it, understood it, and lets it guide his life.
In this country, we see these other types of people constantly—these self-proclaimed prophets spinning in circles, singing the same old song from start to finish. They seem stuck in this desperate rejection of life, people, and the world itself. It’s their permanent, stubborn stance. They love the drama of acting like they are "standing against everyone and everything." They claim to follow their conscience, but their idea of what a conscience should be is totally warped. They talk about shame, yet don't seem to feel any. They treat the Bible like a political manifesto and completely miss the actual message of the Word. These are people who have never
spoken a word about compassion, mercy, hope, or comfort. They don't care about avoiding causing pain; there’s zero humanity there. Instead, they are just soaked in negativity, living in constant sync with the darkest parts of this world.
These "beggars" thrive on what they lack. They focus on what they can't give themselves, what they can't measure or possess.
That’s why they declare themselves so loudly; it’s this baseless, crazy idea that by denying life, they somehow prove their own importance.
You might ask... is it a personality disorder? Or something else?
Anyway, let’s get back to our Shoemaker.
He tells this story about playing the violin back in Switzerland. After one performance, an elderly woman, absolutely moved by his music, approached him.
Now, this wasn't a man who made his living through music—he says he never earned a single cent from it. But when he got home, he found a gift from her.
It was a violin. And not just any violin. A Stradivarius.
I don't know what those go for on the market today, or if it was a high-end replica... but I truly believe it was the real deal.
By accepting the gift, the Shoemaker started a beautiful cycle of kindness. He entered into a silent partnership with her, realizing how deeply our actions connect to intentions of love, forgiveness, and respect. In doing so, he gained a real kind of "power."
And he didn't have to go around begging with a Bible in his hand to get it.
It makes me wonder: what is it that we, as people, use to affirm ourselves and our place in this world?
Is it just that simple desire for goodness, justice, and love? Those connections that bind us together rather than tear us apart? That kind of energy has been sought after by every culture and every race throughout history. It's so universal that, sometimes, in the chaos of life, we lose sight of it.
The Shoemaker got his violin, and he stayed a shoemaker.
I can't help but wonder, though... what will the Universe have in store for that evil prophet?😉
It’s the story of this incredible guy—a local shoemaker who actually studied theology and violin back in Switzerland. He’s also a TV technician, and now he’s even looking into organic farming. What a colorful, multifaceted soul!
He’s thin, almost looks like a Quaker, with these incredibly bright, piercing eyes. When he starts talking about God and the Bible with such intensity, I’ll admit, my first instinct was to change the channel. You think, "Oh boy, here comes another fanatic lost in his own world."
But then you really listen. You see the sheer, personal joy he takes in discussing faith, and how much love he pours into his views on God and humanity. It’s not dark or heavy; it’s actually incredibly positive.
He isn't trying to force a conversion on you or anyone else. There’s none of that "my way or the highway" attitude, and he certainly doesn't preach about the inevitable end of the world like he's some kind of doom-monger. He isn't trying to turn his personal beliefs into a universal rule, and he never tries to demonize people who see things differently.
He just lives his faith. He accepted it, understood it, and lets it guide his life.
In this country, we see these other types of people constantly—these self-proclaimed prophets spinning in circles, singing the same old song from start to finish. They seem stuck in this desperate rejection of life, people, and the world itself. It’s their permanent, stubborn stance. They love the drama of acting like they are "standing against everyone and everything." They claim to follow their conscience, but their idea of what a conscience should be is totally warped. They talk about shame, yet don't seem to feel any. They treat the Bible like a political manifesto and completely miss the actual message of the Word. These are people who have never
spoken a word about compassion, mercy, hope, or comfort. They don't care about avoiding causing pain; there’s zero humanity there. Instead, they are just soaked in negativity, living in constant sync with the darkest parts of this world.
These "beggars" thrive on what they lack. They focus on what they can't give themselves, what they can't measure or possess.
That’s why they declare themselves so loudly; it’s this baseless, crazy idea that by denying life, they somehow prove their own importance.
You might ask... is it a personality disorder? Or something else?
Anyway, let’s get back to our Shoemaker.
He tells this story about playing the violin back in Switzerland. After one performance, an elderly woman, absolutely moved by his music, approached him.
Now, this wasn't a man who made his living through music—he says he never earned a single cent from it. But when he got home, he found a gift from her.
It was a violin. And not just any violin. A Stradivarius.
I don't know what those go for on the market today, or if it was a high-end replica... but I truly believe it was the real deal.
By accepting the gift, the Shoemaker started a beautiful cycle of kindness. He entered into a silent partnership with her, realizing how deeply our actions connect to intentions of love, forgiveness, and respect. In doing so, he gained a real kind of "power."
And he didn't have to go around begging with a Bible in his hand to get it.
It makes me wonder: what is it that we, as people, use to affirm ourselves and our place in this world?
Is it just that simple desire for goodness, justice, and love? Those connections that bind us together rather than tear us apart? That kind of energy has been sought after by every culture and every race throughout history. It's so universal that, sometimes, in the chaos of life, we lose sight of it.
The Shoemaker got his violin, and he stayed a shoemaker.
I can't help but wonder, though... what will the Universe have in store for that evil prophet?😉