It's a classic tale of good and evil, loyalty and betrayal, greed and honor. It was a popular book when it was first published and over the years it has been made into both movie and video versions. It was a modern video portrayal of Treasure Island we watched one night last week, and, though we knew the story, it captivated all of us. There was one scene which was especially effective. The characters believed they were only a short distance away from discovering the treasure hidden by the notorious pirate captain. They were climbing into the interior of the island, through deep gorges that echoed with their footsteps. Then another echo began to ricochet around them. It began as a whisper and slowly increased in volume and intensity. At first the treasure hunting party tried to ignore the sound, but as it grew they became more and more fearful. The echoes were impossible to escape and the men were certain they were hearing the voice of the dead pirate, warning them of their doom!

Shortly after seeing this video I came across a quote that made me think of it again: "To write is to make oneself the echo of what cannot cease speaking." (Maurice Blanchot). The echoes in the video of Treasure Island terrified those who heard them. They were echoes of one whose intent was to harm and confuse. By their actions, the men who heard the words perpetuated the message: be afraid, be very afraid.

As we live our lives day by day we are echoes. Every day we choose whether to echo words of joy and life, or words of fear and death. The kind of echoes we make of ourselves is determined by the source from which they come. We have the opportunity to echo words and actions which heal and encourage, strengthen and build up, words of love that come directly from the mouth of the Creator of our universe.

There is only one catch. To be an echo of Him, you have to be able to hear His words clearly. To hear Him clearly, you have to get to know Him personally. As we grow in understanding of one another, when we get to know each other, we grow in understanding of who God is and what He wants to tell us, as we get to know Him. Like every relationship, this is a process. It begins with seeking God as earnestly as those characters in Treasure Island sought the pirate's treasure. It is an adventure as we learn more about Him through His word, His creation, His people. Slowly His voice becomes clear and we become true echoes of Him, echoes of grace and mercy, compassion and love.

This is the purpose God intends for our lives, to be His echoes, His "witnesses .... to the ends of the earth."(Acts 1:8)

Marcia Laycock is a pastor's wife and freelance writer living in Alberta Canada.  Her devotional book, The Spur of the Moment has been endorsed by Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and others.  To order, and to view more of Marcia's writing, see her web site - www.vinemarc.com
Copyright Marcia Lee Laycock, 2000, 2001,2002,2003,2004,2005