Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining
farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious
rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing
machinery and trading labor and goods as needed
without a hitch.
Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with
a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major
difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange
of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He
opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox.
"I'm looking for a few days' work" he said.
"Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and
there I could help with? Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for
you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my
neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother!.
Last week there was a meadow between us and he took
his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a
creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite
me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of
lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence -
an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or
his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the
situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger
and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the
carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off
for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day
measuring, sawing, nailing.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter
had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened
wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence
there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching
one side of the creek to the other!
A fine piece of work, handrails and all! and the
neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them,
his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to
build this bridge after all I've said and done." The
two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then
they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They
turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox
onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a
lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I
have many more bridges to build."
REMEMBER THIS:
God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll
ask how many people you drove who didn't have
transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of your house, but
He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your
closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was, but He'll
ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your job title was, but He'll ask
if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask
many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but
He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll
ask about the content of your character.
God won't ask why it took you so long to seek
Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion
in heaven and not to the gates of Hell.
farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious
rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing
machinery and trading labor and goods as needed
without a hitch.
Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with
a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major
difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange
of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He
opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox.
"I'm looking for a few days' work" he said.
"Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and
there I could help with? Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for
you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my
neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother!.
Last week there was a meadow between us and he took
his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a
creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite
me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of
lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence -
an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or
his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the
situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger
and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the
carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off
for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day
measuring, sawing, nailing.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter
had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened
wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence
there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching
one side of the creek to the other!
A fine piece of work, handrails and all! and the
neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them,
his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to
build this bridge after all I've said and done." The
two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then
they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They
turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox
onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a
lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I
have many more bridges to build."
REMEMBER THIS:
God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll
ask how many people you drove who didn't have
transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of your house, but
He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your
closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was, but He'll
ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your job title was, but He'll ask
if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask
many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but
He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll
ask about the content of your character.
God won't ask why it took you so long to seek
Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion
in heaven and not to the gates of Hell.