PERSEVERENCE: Shake it off!

"Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience."

James 1:2-3 [ASV]

A parable is told of a farmer who owned a mule who accidentally fell into an old uncovered well. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer decided neither the mule nor the well was worth saving; so, he called his neighbors to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well.

At first, the mule was hysterical. But then it occurred to him that every time a shovel of dirt hit his back he could shake it off and step up. So, he did – shovel full after shovel full.

“Shake it off; step up,” he repeated to himself. “Shake it off; step up.” It wasn't long before the old mule stepped triumphantly over the top to safety. The dirt he thought would bury him turned out to be a blessing.

Whenever life throws dirt on you, do what the old mule did ... “Shake it off and step up.”

[Laughlines by Skai Rusis; 11/13/99; edited for publication)]

Christianity, Illustrations,
Perseverance, Religion

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The Tile Layer [Romans 8:29-30; other topics - Perfection; Sanctification; Likeness; Reflection]

People are often impatient to see their new ceramic tile laid; they’re reluctant to endure the required prep work.

It is true you may lay ceramic tile over the top of almost anything (plywood, old tile, hardboard, drywall, etc.), but it’s just as true that professionals lay tile over a concrete type board ... sort of a “super” board.

The reason is simple: many materials are unstable when it comes to such things as moisture, heat, and age; whereas concrete-impregnated fibre-board is stable under even the harshest of conditions. Those grout lines in your tile are just like fault lines in the earth’s crust; under the right conditions, stress will cause those lines to fracture ... some stresses will even cause the tiles themselves to crack.

A good tile job will be laid on a solid foundation; a inferior tile job will reveal itself soon enough.

God is never finished with His disciples (at least this side of eternity future); we often require a great deal of prep work before any final material is laid on.

Many times old materials must be removed, other times the old material just needs repair or resecuring. This not only protects the finished product, but ensures a good testimony for the Tile Layer.

Since we’re the very reflection of Christ in us, this is an important part of the job. Good discipling gives evidence of a solid foundation; impatient discipling reveals itself soon enough.