“STONE SOUP!”
By Helen Jesze, 8th June 2018
It was getting towards evening when an old man came to a small country hamlet. His clothes were ragged and he seemed very tired, as he shifted the weight of the canvas bag he carried from one shoulder to the other. He knocked on the door of the first cottage and it was opened by a woman. “Do you have a small piece of bread for me, please, and a cup of water? I have walked so far today and am very hungry,” the man asked. But the woman shouted, “I haven’t got enough for my family, let alone for beggars!” and slammed the door in his face.
The old man tried the other cottages, but received the same answer. Undeterred he went to a central place where everyone could see him, then gathering some twigs, he lit a fire. When the fire was blazing merrily he took an iron pot out of his bag, filled it with water from the stream and set it on the fire, then he took two large smooth round stones from his bag and dropped them in. After a while the water was boiling and as the steam rose up, the old man bent over and sniffed, as though there was a beautiful smell coming from the pot. The villagers had been watching and now they came out of their houses, curious to see what the old man was doing.
The old man cried out, “Oh, such a beautiful soup! Now if I only had a few potatoes, it would be just right!” “I’ve got some!” cried a woman and sent her little boy to fetch them.The man cut up the potatoes and dropped them into the pot. “Oh, if I just had a few onions and a bit of garlic!” Somebody went and fetched those. The villagers got closer and closer, trying to smell the soup, and the man cried out,”Now if we had a few carrots and perhaps a good meaty bone, it would be a marvellous soup!” Again these were brought and the man dropped them in. Soon everybody’s mouth began to water, as a wonderful smell rose from the pot.
“Go and get a plate and a spoon, and you can all have some!” the old man cried. Soon they were all eating and it was the general opinion that it was the best Stone Soup they had ever tasted!
Well, what is the lesson we can learn from this ingenious old man and this humorous story? Just this: Each person on their own did not have enough, but when everything was shared, there was enough for everyone!
You may look at the task you have to do or the challenge you face, and it seems impossible. You look at your gifts and talents and think they fall far short. But be encouraged! God can bring others to you who have what you do not have, so you complement each other, and TOGETHER, the job will be done!
Perhaps you think your small finances can never accomplish anything worthwhile, but when we join together and give in obedience when and where the Lord shows us, little will become much!
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour,”
Ecclesiastes 4:9
“For the body is not one member, but many,”
Hebrews 10:24
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.”
Ephesians 4:11
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me not to hide what I have, in selfishness, pride or false humility, saying it’s not enough. Network me together with the person or people you have planned, that together we might do the work of you who have sent us, for the time is short! In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
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