This week we discussed strategies for maintaining our shalom personality, even when dealing with difficult people or circumstances.
But we all know that it’s not always so easy.
Anytime we practice a new skill (like getting used to a new device), we have ups and downs.
So how do we handle those “down” times — those times when we’re feeling so beat up? Here’s a clever story to think about.
Once there was a donkey who fell into a well. It was a deep well and the donkey couldn’t get out of it.
A farmer heard the donkey braying in distress and came to see what happened. When he saw the donkey down in the well, he brought the other farmers to try and rescue it.
Try as they might, they couldn’t pull the donkey up out of the well. They tried and tried and finally they gave up.
Instead of just leaving the donkey to starve down in the well, they decided it was more merciful to bury it in place. So they got shovels and started filling in the well.
They threw dirt down onto the donkey.
When the donkey realized what was happening he became indignant. He was not going to stand for this. When a shovelful of dirt fell on him, he shook it off and stepped up onto the dirt pile.
More and more dirt was thrown down on top of the donkey; each time, he shook it off and stepped up onto the pile.
Just when the farmers thought they had almost filled in the well, they peered into it. To their surprise, the donkey popped out and went on its way.
Try this today: When people throw dirt on you, just remember the donkey. Shake it off and step up. You don’t have to let the dirt bury you.