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…and 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 COULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! 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!
You�re right! 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…all because of the manner in
which he handled his adversity.
THAT�S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them
positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity…THE
ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL
TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!
Remember that FORGIVENESS-FAITH-PRAYER-PRAISE and
HOPE…all are excellent ways to �SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP� out of the wells
in which we find ourselves!
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