THE COAL BASKET BIBLE
The story is told of an
old man who lived on a
farm in the mountains of
eastern Kentucky with
his young grandson. Each
morning, Grandpa was up
early sitting at the
kitchen table reading
from his old worn-out
Bible. His grandson who
wanted to be just like
him tried to imitate him
in any way he could.
One day the grandson
asked, "Grandpa, I try
to read the Bible just
like you but I don't
understand it, and what
I do understand I forget
as soon as I close the
book. What good does
reading the Bible do?"
"Take this coal basket
down to the river and
bring back a basket of
water."
The boy did as he was
told, even though all
the water leaked out
before he could get back
to the house. The
grandfather laughed and
said, "You will have to
move a little faster
next time," and sent him
back to the river with
the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran
faster, but again the
basket was empty before
he returned home.
Out of breath, he told
his grandfather that it
was "impossible to carry
water in a basket," and
he went to get a bucket
instead.
The old man said, "I
don't want a bucket of
water; I want a basket
of water. You can do
this. You're just not
trying hard enough," and
he went out the door to
watch the boy try
again. At this point,
the boy knew it was
impossible, but he
wanted to show his
grandfather that even if
he ran as fast as he
could, the water would
leak out before he got
very far. The boy
scooped the water and
ran hard, but when he
reached his grandfather
the basket was again
empty. Out of breath, he
said, "See Grandpa, it's
useless!"
"So you think it is
useless?" The old man
said, "Look at the
basket." The boy looked
at the basket and for
the first time he
realized that the basket
looked different.
Instead of a dirty old
coal basket, it was
clean.
"Son, that's what
happens when you read
the Bible. You might not
understand or remember
everything, but when you
read it, it will change
you from the inside out.
That is the work of God
in our lives. To change
us from the inside out
and to slowly transform
us into the image of His
son."
Take time to read a
portion of God's word
each day, and and always
remind a friend to do
likewise.
In God We Trust!
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"Though the vision
tarries, Wait for
it."
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(Habukkuh
2:1-3) |
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