Once upon a time there was a beautiful lily. This lily had a bluebird friend who
used to perch on a nearby fencepost and visit with her nearly every day.
Together they enjoyed observing the rancher and his family who owned the place
where they lived. They watched as, day after day, the rancher and his family
worked tirelessly. Though their ranch was profitable and their hard work
admirable, the conversation the friends overheard and the things they observed
were curious to the pair. It seemed the more profitable the ranch became, the
more the family thought they needed.
The bluebird made an observational flight over the rancher's domain, "You know,
lily," he said upon his return, "All their hard work is really paying off. They
have increased and improved this place substantially in the last few years."
"I know," replied the lily, "But have you also noticed that along with their
increase they have less and less time for each other. They have all but quit
going to church, and I hear them arguing more and more. And come to think of
it," she observed, "I used to see the farmer and his wife taking long walks.
Sometimes they walked together, hand in hand and at other times I used to see
each of them taking time out of their busy days for a stroll alone in the woods,
talking with the Lord. Nowadays however, they are too busy for that."
The bluebird chimed in, "Now they've turned the management of the farm over to
the farmhands and have both taken jobs in the city in order to earn even more
money so they can keep up the possessions they already have." "Yes, and they've
also bought a second home in Florida so they can have a nice warm place to live
when it gets too cold here," said the lily.
The bluebird heaved a mournful sigh, "Lily," he said, "When the rancher and his
family went to church, do you think they heard how the Heavenly Father told them
to take a close look at you and me and to observe the secret of simplicity in
how He takes care of His creatures? It seems to me they are complicating their
lives instead of making them better. To all this, the beautiful lily replied,
"Why is it that people go to school and study textbooks and learn many great
things, yet they aren't smart enough to read God's textbook on life and apply
it?"
"Yeah," said the bluebird, "Then they too could fly and be free." (You can read
more about the Lily and the Bluebird in Matthew the 6th chapter.)
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please
authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances
dictate.
Thanks to Daily Wisdom
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