Push The Rock

Once there was a young man who had a deep desire to please God and perform diligently his life mission, no matter what that might be. So he asked God what he should do to give his life meaning. God showed him a huge rock in a field, and said "Push the rock."

The young man began to push the rock, as God had told him. He got up early in the morning and pushed the rock. He stayed up late at night and pushed the rock. Every day he continued to push the rock, no matter how exhausted he became.

If the weather was dreary, he still pushed the rock. Through storms and snow, and dark of night, and all his life events, the man pushed the rock. He made many sacrifices so that he could push the rock. Day after day, month after month, he pushed the rock.

After many years of pushing the rock, the evil one came to him and whispered in his ear, "What good have you done all these years? You have spent your life pushing this rock, and for what? The rock hasn't moved one tiny bit."

The man thought about all his effort, and realized it was true. No matter how long, and how hard he had pushed the rock, still it hadn't budged from where it had been when he started. All those years of effort had not resulted in the rock being displaced even the smallest bit.

Immediately the man was discouraged. He began to sorrow, and be angry. He felt his life had been wasted, pushing the rock. All of his hard work had been for nothing. He had made no difference at all. The rock had not moved. He had failed in carrying out his mission. He had accomplished nothing.

He desperately cried out to God, "All these years I have been pushing this rock, and it has not moved a bit. Why did you ask me to do this, when I have made no difference at all?"

God looked with compassion on the man and said, "I didn't tell you to move the rock, I told you to push the rock.

“Look at yourself. Your legs, which had been weak and skinny, are now strong and able to go long distances. Your arms, which had been thin, are now powerful and able to carry heavy loads. Your shoulders, once narrow, have become broad and able to bear large burdens. Your mind, once so immature and easily distracted, is focused, and able to solve difficult problems. Your heart has been seasoned by patience, and softened by hardship."

"Your mission," said God, "Is not in what you do, but in what you become as you do it."

Have faith, and push the rock. 

This webset page was assembled on  Silken Fire @ Silken Fire's Fireplace II with graphics from the public domain using one of the many auto-scripters available at  Chat_Central_Gateway  All rights reserved KENDOC 2005