A minister friend told of exercising outside on a particularly warm summer morning. "It was a magnificent day," he said. "I was running on the sidewalks of tree-lined streets. I chose the route because of the beauty of the neighborhood and the abundance of shade to shield me from the sun.

"As often happens when exercising, I was lost in thought. When I run, my legs get more oxygen than my brain. Often that causes me to fantasize on my personal possibilities. I don't remember exactly what I was thinking, but I may have been planning the details of how to balance the federal budget and reduce the national debt without either raising taxes or cutting spending.

"Suddenly my concentration was interrupted. My senses were overwhelmed by a force that could not be ignored. I looked up to see what…