A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's
well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' -or-whatever mules do when they fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided
that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his
neighbors together and told them what had happened ...and enlisted them to help haul dirt
to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued
shoveling and the dirt hit his back ... a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him
that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step
up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step
up...shake it off and step up!" He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how
painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought
"panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over
the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all
because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. If we face our problems, respond
to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity, the
adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit
and bless us.
May God bless us this week as we, "shake off the shackles and step up out of the
wells" in which we find ourselves! "I can do all things through Christ which
strengthens me." - Phil. 4:13
