The theme for the ChristianWriters.com blog chain this month
is “pursuit.” Please click on the links in the right hand column to see what my
friends have to say about our theme.
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In our back yard, we have 3 tortoise statuaries—a 4-foot tortoise “mamma” and two “babies.” I adore them because they remind me
of Jesus.
1. Aesop was an ancient Greek who created stories to teach
children life lessons. You remember some of them from your own childhood—handed
down through the centuries and across continents, to end up in North American
children’s books.
The Fox and the Grapes
The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Fox and the Crow
And my favorite…The
Tortoise and the Hare.
Each of Aesop’s fables ends with a lesson—a moral; something
learned to take away and apply to life. For The Tortoise and the Hare,
the moral is: Slow and steady wins the race.
Jesus also told stories to teach. He also created parables that
left people with something to take away and apply to life.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31)
The Parable of the Yeast (Matthew 13:33)
The Parable of the Pearl (Matthew 13:44)
The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3)
…to name a few.
2. The Apostle Paul filled his epistles with metaphors that
compared a life in Christ to running a race. He talks about running the race
with discipline (1 Corinthians 9:4); running the race for a purpose and with a
goal (Galatians 2:2); running a good race (Galatians 5:7); and running with
perseverance a race marked out for us (Hebrews 12: 1).
It is Hebrews that reminds me most of The Tortoise and
the Hare. The tortoise ran with perseverance—plodding; one step after the
other; not taking shortcuts; not making detours or following the easy or the
scenic route. He continued along the course, from beginning to end; without
stopping or becoming discouraged.
In our walk with Jesus, sometimes Jesus carries us forward;
sometimes he slows us down. But never does he help us detour from our course;
never does he hinder our forward movement toward our goal of heaven with Him.
3. Now that I am on the second half of my life here on
earth, I realize how quickly the first half flew by; how much I’ve
accomplished; how much is left to do. Our earthly instinct is to do everything
quickly; get it done…before. Make time for the next project; the next idea; the
next race to be run.
The hard thing to remember is that life is not a series of
track meets. It is not a sprint or 20 times around the football
field before heading to the showers.
Life—both here on earth and life eternal—is a long-distance
marathon. He who finishes first doesn’t win the one and only prize. Rather,
like true marathon races, everyone who finishes is a winner. So, everyone who
spends eternity with Jesus wins.
We can run the good race like turtles; because when it comes
to living a life for Christ, slow and steady truly does win the race.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for this earthly
life and for our promised eternal life with you. Please help us stay the
course; help us run and not grow weary; help us be turtles for you, remembering
that we carry our eternal home in our hearts. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What’s your favorite Aesop’s fable
and why? What’s your favorite parable?
16 comments:
Great post on the slow pursuit of the goal. My favorite parable is the parable of the net in Matthew 13:47–52. This one always gives me the shivers.
Love the idea of staying slow and steadily on course!
The parable on my mind today is the 4 soils, Matthew 13:10-23... focusing on my surroundings and staying in the good soil!!
Excellent thoughts on slow and steady - as you say, there are few things in life that are sprints - it's day by day and little by little.
My favorite parable is the prodigal son - although it's happened enough in man's history that it's not necessarily a parable.
Ooo...I love this! Steady as she goes wins the race! So good! I can't think of my favorite fable but I think my favorite parable is the prodigal son. Thanks so much for sharing this! Bless you!
Hi Carol, I think the Tortoise and the Hare is my favorite fable, too. By my very nature, I'm a slow and steady plodder which drives my sisters nuts. LOL My second favorite fable is the Crow and the Pitcher. "Little by little does the trick." My favorite parable is either The Good Samaritan or The Mustard Seed. I can't decide. :)
Thanks for a great post!
Deciding on my favorite parable is a toughie. I think I'd probably go with the Prodigal Son. I've always like the story of the wind and the sun competing to make a man remove his coat...don't know it that's one of Aesop's or not.
Peace and Blessings
@ Michael - Oh, I love the net parable, too! It's not one that most people think of at first.
@ Chris - the soils is one of my favorite parables--it so nicely reminds us (among other things) that people's salvation is up to God; not us.
@ Bill, Lynn and E.G. - all of you "vote" for the Prodigal Son. I recently read "Prodigal God" which I loved--referencing the third "good son" Jesus in that parable.
@ Sandi - so glad to know a fellow plodder!
This was a great analogy of how we should approach life. thanks Carol.
i finally got here
fave fable has to be the tortoise and the hare
and Jesus teaching the prodigal son
the Father scans the horizon until He spots the prodigal afar off
then He prepares a party WOW
biiiiig hug
@ Tracy - thank you!
@ Jack - I do so love that God has a party for us! big hug back!
My favorite is The Tortoise and the Hare. For all the wonderful reasons you already mentioned.
Great post, sister!
@ Deborah - we're kindred sisters. Tortoises under the shell...
Beautiful post, Carol. I'm encouraged by the reminder that I'm running a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Thanks. :)
@ Traci - Glad you're encouraged; I am too because some days my feet hurt so much I have to walk instead of run. But it's all forward progress toward God.
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