An ancient Chinese parable tells of Old Tan Chang who had a small farm overshadowed by a towering mountain. One day he got the notion to get rid of the mountain. With the help of his wife and sons, he began to hack at the rock around its base. A neighbor walked by and scoffed, “You will never finish the job, old man! There are not enough days in the year for you to do this.”

But Tan replied confidently, “I am not as foolish as you think, my friend. I may be old and feeble, but after I am gone, my sons will continue to peck away at the mountain. Then their sons and their sons’ sons will do the same. Since the mountain cannot grow, someday it will be level with the ground, and the sun will shine upon our land.”

Many times we become discouraged when something we want to accomplish cannot be done right away, or it seems that we are making little progress, or the end does not seem to be insight. But remember, many of our problems cannot eliminated instantly – but they can be moved one piece at a time, one day at a time. Jesus said, “Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof [Sufficient for the day is its own trouble – ESV]” (Mt. 6:34). We have enough difficulties today without borrowing from tomorrow – tomorrow with take care of itself if you take care of today. Perhaps we should remember and contemplate these words of inspiration as we strive to accomplish a “seeming” insurmountable task. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). “I can do all things in him [Christ – NKJ] that strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).

Think About It!

Have A Great Day!

Tom Moore
Park Heights church of Christ
P. O. Box 107
Hamilton, Texas 76531
http://www.harrisandmoore.org
http://www.fromthepreacherspc.org
http://www.parkheightscoc.com