Blessing Or Bane?
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, strengthen, and establish you. (v. 10)
Long ago, there was a poor old woman who lived with her only son near China's northern border. One night their only horse wandered away. All the neighbors came to them and said they were sorry that this terrible thing happened to them. The old woman replied, "How do you know it's terrible? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing."
A few months later, the horse returned with a whole herd of wild horses. The neighbors helped them put the horses into a corral and congratulated them at their good luck. The old woman replied, "How do you know it's good luck? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune."
Sure enough, a week later the boy tried to ride one of the wild horses. The horse bucked him off and the son broke his thighbone in the fall. The neighbors soon heard about it and said, "What bad luck!" The old woman responded, "How do you know it's bad luck? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing."
Well, soon after that the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. A Chinese warlord rode into town with his army to recruit every man and boy in town to fight in the war. All able--bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders. When he saw that the old woman's son had a broken leg, the warlord left him in the town and rode away.
The fighting was very lethal. As a result, ninety percent of the men in the border region died. But the old woman's son was spared. He had not joined in the fighting because of his injury. And once again, the neighbors came and rejoiced in his good luck.
Things that seem unfair when they happen to us sometimes turn out to help us. What may appear to be suffering, may be something that God uses as a benefit.
Long ago, there was a poor old woman who lived with her only son near China's northern border. One night their only horse wandered away. All the neighbors came to them and said they were sorry that this terrible thing happened to them. The old woman replied, "How do you know it's terrible? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing."
A few months later, the horse returned with a whole herd of wild horses. The neighbors helped them put the horses into a corral and congratulated them at their good luck. The old woman replied, "How do you know it's good luck? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune."
Sure enough, a week later the boy tried to ride one of the wild horses. The horse bucked him off and the son broke his thighbone in the fall. The neighbors soon heard about it and said, "What bad luck!" The old woman responded, "How do you know it's bad luck? Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing."
Well, soon after that the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. A Chinese warlord rode into town with his army to recruit every man and boy in town to fight in the war. All able--bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders. When he saw that the old woman's son had a broken leg, the warlord left him in the town and rode away.
The fighting was very lethal. As a result, ninety percent of the men in the border region died. But the old woman's son was spared. He had not joined in the fighting because of his injury. And once again, the neighbors came and rejoiced in his good luck.
Things that seem unfair when they happen to us sometimes turn out to help us. What may appear to be suffering, may be something that God uses as a benefit.
