Who's That?

Throughout the centuries, many men and women have lived nearly anonymously even though they literally changed the world with their scientific discoveries and inventions. For instance, if I said Nikola Tesla, except for a very few people I know, I would be willing to bet you have absolutely no idea who this person was even though he had changed the world in the late 1800’s. Born 1856, in what we know today as Croatia, Tesla was an educated mechanical and electrical engineer. Working throughout Europe as a young man Tesla came to America in 1884 to work with the world renowned Thomas Edison. A former employer wrote to Edison, “I know two great men and you are one of them; the other is this young man.” At the Edison Machine Works, Tesla began with simple electrical engineering projects and soon progressed to solving the company’s most difficult problems. Edison had promised Tesla $50,000 if he could redesign Edison’s inefficient DC motors and generators, making an improvement in both service and economy. Tesla did just that, but never received the money. The history of Tesla is long and involved, but after leaving Edison, he went on to patent hundreds of inventions, which we still use today. Tesla is responsible for the use of alternating current throughout the world instead of direct current and batteries, the first form of commercial electricity. You can thank Nikola Tesla for the now common AC electric motor, which helped to usher in the Second Industrial Revolution. You can credit him for the better light bulb, florescent lighting, the first electric cars, a few weapons of destruction, the modern medical x-ray tube, all forms of transmitting electrical power used today and radio. Yes, Tesla, not Marconi, built the first radio transmitter and receiver along with the frequency oscillator, the knob you turn to change channels. There are statues and museums dedicated to Tesla, yet he is an unknown person.
While walking in the park with her grandmother, a four-year-old picked something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. Granny took the item away from her and asked her not to do that. The little girl asked her “Why?” and grandma explained it was dirty and probably had germs on it. The girl looked at her grandmother with total admiration and asked, “Grandma, how do you know all this stuff? You’re so smart.” “All grandmas know this stuff. It’s on the Grandma Test. You have to know or you can’t be a grandma.” They walked a little in silence, then the young one had an insight, “Oh, I get it! If you don’t pass the test, you get to be a grandpa.” “Exactly”, replied grandma.
[Luke 1: 26-33] Tesla is basically unknown, yet we use what he gave us every day without thinking or giving him glory. Jesus also changed the world. Jesus is well known for all he gave us, yet we refuse to use most of it. “Well, it’s the spirit thing. I just can’t get my hand on it to understand it.” Okay. When was the last time you put your hand on electricity? You can feel it, yet can’t see it. Do you not respect it, understand it and use it all the time? When was the last time you felt guilty, or experienced heartache of loss and sorrow? You can feel your spirit even though you can’t see it. When was the last time you begged the favor of God, because nobody else could possibly understand? It is because of Jesus that we have been reconciled to God (Romans 5: 1-11) and man can once again walk and talk with God every day. Don’t worship the statue and ignore the love.