A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened. He then enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical!
But, as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back he should shake it off and step up. And, this he did, blow after blow.
"Shake it off and step up...
shake it off and step up...
shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself.
No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
Dirt.
It's hard to go through life
without getting it thrown on us or at us.
And yet, when it comes flying in our direction,
like the mule,
we have a choice to make.
--
With God,
our mess becomes our message.
Our test becomes our testimony.
Help us to not ever give up,
but to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.". (Hebrews 12:1-3).
-Author Unknown
Print this out and put it in a visible place as a reminder to keep going!
--Happy New Year 2018🔥
