Emphasis Preaching Journal

One day Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, read the morning newspaper and was shocked to see his own obituary. What had happened was that an editor had made an error, confusing his brother's death with his own. The shock of the misprint was bad enough, but what was even more disturbing to Alfred was what the newspaper article said about his life. He was perceived as "the dynamite king" who had become wealthy through his discovery of explosives. That was all he was known for. The true purpose of his life, to break down barriers that separated peoples, was not even mentioned.

Since he was not dead Nobel resolved that the whole world would know what was the driving force of his life. He did not want to be remembered as a merchant of death. Hence, he decided to dispose of his immense fortune through his last will and testament in such a way that people would know what his highest ideals really were. The results are the Nobel prizes awarded each year, and especially the most valued one given to the one who has done the most for the cause of world peace.

It may not be too late for us to show others where our true values lie. Isaiah's prophetic vision of a day when nations "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks" has been recaptured by a few farsighted people in every generation.