It takes guts to say Jesus. This is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy there, who was a deeply committed aethist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God could not exist.

His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he taught this class and no one ever had the courage to go against his views. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone against him (you'll see what I mean later) Nobody would go against him because he had a reputation.

At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students "IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO STILL BELIEVES IN JESUS, STAND UP!!"

In twenty years no one had ever stood up. They all knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "BECAUSE ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN GOD IS A FOOL. IF GOD EXISTED, HE COULD STOP THIS PIECE OF CHALK FROM HITTING THE FLOOR AND BREAKING. SUCH A SIMPLE TASK TO PROVE THAT HE IS GOD, AND YET HE CAN'T DO IT!"

And every year, he would drop the chalk on to the tile floor and every year it would shatter into hundreds of pieces. All of the students could do nothing but stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through but had been too afraid to stand up.

A few years ago, there was a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was required class for his major, and he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he had prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or that class thought. Finally the day came. The professor said, "IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO STILL BELIEVES IN GOD, THEN LET HIM STAND NOW!!"

As the freshman stood up, the rest of the class and the professor looked at him in awe. "YOU FOOL!! IF GOD EXISTED, HE CAN KEEP THIS PIECE OF CHALK FROM BREAKING WHEN IT HITS THE GROUND!!"

He then proceeded to drop the chalk, But as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his leg and off onto his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, not broken.

The professor jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He then looked at the freshman and then ran out of the lecture hall. The freshman proceeded to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the next half hour.

300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and his power through Jesus. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or of husband's will, but born of God."

"But he knows the way that I take. When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." Job 23:10

Pass this to your Christian and non-christian friends and let them have the encouragement we all need everyday. God Bless You.