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  The Unmoved Rock  

Once upon a time, there was a man who was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Saviour appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind such as: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?" To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My child, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition, you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my child, will now move the rock."

— Author Unknown

  The Prince and the Beggars  

Soon it would be night, and a beggar sat by the fire to warm himself. A fellow beggar joined him.

"The strangest thing happened to me today," the second beggar began. "I was sitting by the gate as I always do. A carriage stopped and the Prince came out to me. I was hoping he would take pity on me and give me a coin. Instead he held out his hand and asked, 'What will you give to the King?'

"This made me angry. 'You are the Prince and I am a poor beggar,' I said. 'I have been sitting here all day and barely have enough to feed myself. I have nothing to give to the King.'

"Then he said to me, 'Then I can give you nothing.' Then he turned and left. I was glad to see him leave."

Just then, a third beggar joined them.

"The strangest thing happened to me today," the third beggar began. "I was sitting by the road as I always do. A carriage stopped and the Prince came out to me. I was hoping he would take pity on me and give me a coin. Instead he held out his hand and asked, 'What will you give to the King?'

"This made me afraid. 'You are the Prince and I am a poor beggar,' I said. 'I have been sitting here all day and barely have enough to feed myself. However, you are the Prince, so I will give you what I have.' So I gave him the smallest coin I had. I was surprised when he gave me a small gold coin in return.

"Then he said to me, 'If you had given more then I would have given more.' Then he turned and left. I was sad to see him go because I could not offer him the rest of my coins."

They then asked the first beggar, "And what about you?"

"The strangest thing happened to me today," the first beggar began. "I was sitting in the market as I always do. A carriage stopped and the Prince came out to me. I was hoping he would take pity on me and give me a coin. Instead he held out his hand and asked, 'What will you give to the King?'

"I fell down on my knees. 'You are the Prince and I am a poor beggar,' I said. 'I have been sitting here all day and barely have enough to feed myself. Please take me into your service and I will do whatever you ask of me.'

"Then he said to me, 'Wait then. I will send the carriage back to take you to the castle. Do not take anything with you because I will provide everything you need.' Then he turned and left. I have been eagerly waiting ever since."

Just then, the Prince's carriage stopped in front of the three beggars. The coachman motioned to the first beggar, and he went to the carriage, leaving his few possessions by the fire for the two remaining beggars. From that day on, the first beggar became the doorkeeper for the King. He ate in the King's court and no one entered the King's presence without the first beggar's permission.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it"   Matthew 16:25.

— Author Unknown

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