Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Cherokee Legend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes all we have to do is reach out to Him.

9 comments:

Kafo said...

MErcy


i needed to hear this today

i am sooo using it in an upcomin sermon

this is good esp. the way it is portrayed


thank you oooooooooooooo

Thirty + said...

Luurrvely, this made me smile, thanks a bunch.

The Life of a Stranger called me said...

He is indeed.

Thank you Lord for keeping watch.

Jennifer A. said...

awww....i loved this...

Rinsola said...

when i was about to say Update plsssss. It's always great to know Someone somewhere watches over our every move. Nice post

Aijay said...

Thats so true!!

Aijay said...

That's so true!!

Zoe Believer said...

He said..I am with you always, even to the end of the age. This has been a refuge through some of the most difficult times in my life. Thanks for this reminder

rethots said...

...'tis funny but, i know have read a couple of these before; only, i'm surprised i didn't make comments.

The constancy of His presence.