Today’s Daily Lesson comes from 1 John chapter 5 verses 1 through 4:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ* has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4for whatever is born of God conquers the world.
There is a fairy tale I love about a little tailor who went on a journey with all manner of things he sewed into his pockets to help him make the trek. In one part of the fairy tale the tailor comes across a giant who won’t let the tailor pass by without beating him at a feat of strength. The tailor agreed and suggested a rock throwing contest. Elated, the giant bent down pulled up a giant bolder and then hurled it into the air almost as far as the eye could see before it finally came crashing down. The tailor nodded respect at the giant and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a little piece of thread. Then he reached into another pocket and pulled out a dove. Finally he reached down to the ground and picked up a tiny pebble. Then using the thread the tailor tied the tiny pebble to the leg of the dove. Then he let go of the dove. The bird never came back. Neither did the rock.
If something is meant to fly it will fly. But no matter how hard we heave gravity will eventually bring a boulder crashing back to the earth.
And the question for us is to decide if the thing we’re trying is being done with our own efforts and energy or if the thing actually has the wings of a dove.
It’s an important distinction.
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