Modern Day Parables... (Full Version)

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pstrdebi -> Modern Day Parables... (6/10/2008 1:23:33 PM)

Often we use analogies to get a point across.
A dear friend of mine calls these "picture pages" (a term from an old kids show).
Some call them modern day parables and the like.

Here is an example:
Old Farmer Joe had a donkey... and he just loved his donkey. One day his donkey fell in a very large pit and couldn't get out. Farmer Joe had no way and no machinery to get his donkey out of the pit... and his heart was grieved.

Farmer Joe just couldn't stand to see his donkey in the pit, so in order to not have to look at him, he decided to throw his trash on top of him and bury him.

So, every day old Farmer Joe would go out to the pit and throw his garbage on top of the donkey.

The donkey, though, would shake it off... and stomp it down.

The next day, Farmer Joe would bring out the garbage, throw it on top of his donkey.

Again, the donkey would shake it off... and stomp it down.

His plan wasn't working very well, so Farmer Joe had all his neighbors bring their garbage over each day and throw it on the donkey.

But the donkey would just shake it off... and stomp it down.

Each time the donkey shook off the garbage... and stomped it down.... he was building up and strengthening the ground... the foundation... beneath him. Until one day... the donkey had used that garbage to his benifit so much that he was able to just walk out of the pit.

Moral of the story... shake it off, stomp it down, and walk out of your pit!

I would love to hear some of your favorites, and how they helped you at the time in your life that you heard it.



mvic -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/10/2008 2:25:30 PM)

This is a story I got sometime ago via an email from a friend. You know those emails that go round and round from one person to another.

There was a rich young man driving his super expensive sports car in a poor part of town. He was obviously lost and longing to get out from this district.

Suddenly from the sidewalk someone threw a stone at the car. It hit the driver's door with a heavy thud. He stopped instantly to investigate the damage. The car was badly dented and the paint had been scratched. The rich man was furious.

He looked around and saw a youngster standing nearby. He ran at him, grabbed him by his shirt and was about to sort him out when the young boy cried: Please sir, don't hit me. Can you help me lift my brother please?

The rich man was puzzled. He looked around and saw a wheelchair and a small child of about seven on the ground. He had fallen from the wheelchair and his older brother didn't have the strength to lift him back.

The boy spoke again: I tried waving at many cars; but no one stopped to help me. So I thought if I threw a stone someone would stop.

The rich man let go of the child and wiped a tear from his eye. He then helped the crippled child back into the wheelchair and let the two of them go.

As he got back to the car he looked at the damage and decided not to get it fixed. He left it as a reminder of that day.

Moral of the story: Sometimes God allows terrible things to happen in our lives in order to attract our attention.



frankman -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/10/2008 4:02:52 PM)

It has been a long cold winter and spring is nearly here. So as I wondered about in my house waiting patiently for the snow to melt, behold a Robin appeared at my window. I said to myself, "Behold, we have received a visitor from a far country to visit us."

As I studied the Robin I noticed it was looking for an early worm to feed itself, which off-course was still no where to be found for the bird had come earlier than the worm. So I went to my cupboard to find some food for the Robin to eat and while feeding it I said to the Robin. "You were where it was warm and where there was no snow, yet you could not stay there. So here you are while it is still winter because the prophecy of spring is in your blood. Your faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You have come many miles to a desolate land because you believe with all your heart and soul in the assurance that spring is near. OH! that we humans could have that kind of hope and assurance as the conviction of that Robin that better times are just ahead."

Our human soul is born into a dark world where there is nothing but sin, disappointment and misery. Yet because of our faith in Christ we too have received the prophecy of spring because of the hope of righteousness that encourages us to look beyond the darkness of the world around us. 1 Cor.15:58 encourages us to "stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

[sm=angel.gif] Let us not loose hope, for behold spring is right around the corner.



pstrdebi -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/10/2008 5:29:19 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: frankman

It has been a long cold winter and spring is nearly here....

[sm=angel.gif] Let us not loose hope, for behold spring is right around the corner.


You do not know... but that was a Word for me today!

God bless you for being an incitement of HIS peace!
[:D]



mvic -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/11/2008 6:00:54 AM)

Once upon a time an elderly man was making his way home through the park after a long day at work. Some youths set upon him. They were carrying knives. They mugged him, injured him badly and left him lying in a pool of blood.

A while later a city gent happened to pass by. He looked at the bleeding man on the ground and thought: This may be a trap. If I stop to help him someone might come out from the bushes and attack me. I'd better hurry home.

And so he did.

A while more later another man happened to come along. He saw the elderly man on the ground and thought: I'd better pretend not to have seen him. If I stop and call the police and ambulance they will ask me a lot of questions. They will want a lot of information. I'll be a witness and I'll probably have to go to court eventually to say what I saw. I really can't be bothered with all this. I'd better rush home.

And so he did.

A bit more later a learned man came by. He had studied sociology, philosophy, and many other important subjects. He looked at the injured man on the ground and thought: Whoever did this needs help. They must be from an under-priviledged background and up-bringing. Poor souls!

And he hurried home thinking about society.

Moral of the story: What a mess we made of this world in the 21st Century.



pstrdebi -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/12/2008 12:05:59 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mvic

A while later a city gent happened to pass by. He looked at the bleeding man on the ground and thought: This may be a trap. If I stop to help him someone might come out from the bushes and attack me. I'd better hurry home.


Fear and Intimidation

quote:


A while more later another man happened to come along. He saw the elderly man on the ground and thought: I'd better pretend not to have seen him. If I stop and call the police and ambulance they will ask me a lot of questions. They will want a lot of information. I'll be a witness and I'll probably have to go to court eventually to say what I saw. I really can't be bothered with all this. I'd better rush home.


Apathy, non-committal, indifferent, detached

quote:


A bit more later a learned man came by. He had studied sociology, philosophy, and many other important subjects. He looked at the injured man on the ground and thought: Whoever did this needs help. They must be from an under-priviledged background and up-bringing. Poor souls!


Illogical, foolishness, over-analytical, complacency

This is all too common today.



pstrdebi -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/12/2008 6:06:12 PM)

This is one of my favorites....

A young boy was walking down the ocean shore when he saw thousands of starfish washed up on the beach.

As he walked he would bend down and pick one up and throw it back in the ocean.

Soon an old man came along and began to watch the boy.

"What are you doing?" asked the old man. "I'm saving these starfish," said the young boy.

Disgruntled, the old man looked at him and then looked at the beach strewn with starfish; "Are you crazy? Look how many there are! You'll never be able to save them, there just too many!

The young boy continued to pick up starfish one at a time, and throw them in the ocean.

Still flustered, the old man said, "You've got to be out of your mind, look at all these starfish! You'll never make a difference!"

With that, the young boy bent down, picked up a starfish and threw it back into the ocean, and said, "It made a difference to that one."

Moral: We can make a difference... one at a time.



lazareth -> RE: Modern Day Parables... (6/16/2008 12:53:42 PM)

Oh no she didn't.

I can't believe she used the donkey one. I was going to tell that one.
Man!
She steals the sheets too!



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