Straight Stick Theology

DL Moody has this beautiful quote: The best way to prove if a stick is crooked is not to argue about it, but to lie a straight stick alongside it.

For example. You hear, “I am a worthless piece of sh–.”  “I am ugly.””I am alone, no one loves me.” They sound familiar and perhaps even convincing. And we waste time to debate and argue with ourselves or anyone else hearing any of these lies.

But if you take a bent stick and lay it next to a straight stick, you can clearly see which is which.  In the spiritual, try laying any lie next to the truth.

“I am a worthless piece of sh–, in Jesus’ name.”
“I am ugly, in Jesus’ name.”
“I am alone, no one loves me, in Jesus name.”

It just doesn’t work. You can’t do it. They don’t fit, can’t fit, will never lay side by side as straight sticks. In Jesus’ name, you can’t be worthless, because He died for you just to prove your worth. In Jesus’ name, you can’t be ugly because He has called you “all beautiful My
darling. ” And He never lies. In Jesus’ name, you can’t say you are alone and unloved because Jesus is the One Who promised to never leave you or forsake you.

Try this at home. Test your thoughts. Examine your heart. Let the peace of Christ rule in your head, heart and home. (Colossians 3:15) There is power in His name. He is the branch that all life is measured by.

Lord, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Ps 19:14)
Amen.

3 thoughts on “Straight Stick Theology

  1. I have been thinking of the straight stick/crooked stick contrast and am glad to know now that Moody said it. Do you know where I can find Moody’s exact words?

    • Hi, Richard – this is Laura from the WGR team.

      We found this in the book, Telling Yourself the Truth by William Backus and Marie Chapian on pg. 31.

      They don’t give the entirety of Moody’s speech. But the quote from the book is: “DL Moody once said that the best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it.”

      Blessings,

      Laura for WGR

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