Washing clothes and good stories

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16

Yesterday while learning how to wash my clothes from a bucket for the first time, Charls, my "Ugandan Brother" told me a true, popular parable in Uganda about always giving thanks. I am going to attempt to write it out..

There were once was two brothers. One day as they went out to chop wood, as one brother was holding the wood and the other was chopping, the one chopping accidently chopped off his brothers finger. In pain, the brother screamed and wailed. With not much thought at all, his brother imediately responded to his poor brother, "In all things give thanks." This sent the brother at rage and divided their relationship.

Some time down the road, as the brothers were sent to go out and fetch water from the well, the brother whose finger was cut off had planned to take revenge upon his brother. So as they reached the well, the brother climbed down the ladder of the well to fetch water. As soon as he got down, the brother with the cut finger pulled the ladder out and left his brother down there.

When the brother was on his way home, leaving his brother behind, some "bad soldiers" stopped him as they were called by their master to go out and bring back a head of a young boy for a ritual. As they were about to cut off his head, one of the soldiers stopped the one with the nife and said, "Wait, our master ordered us to cut off the head of a boy who had no blemishes. We should examine him." Sure enough, they found that he was missing a finger and let him go. With this the boy then remembered what his brother had told him. "Give thanks in all circumstances". The brother ran to the well and shared what just happened and were reunited within their relationship.

And the story goes both ways. If the brother did not keep his brother in the well, and they were traveling back together, then the soldiers would have taken his brother in place of him after they found out about his finger. So in this sense, the brothers revenge was worked out for the good.

God works for the good of all those who call on Him.

I liked this story a lot! So when something happens, and it seems like the worse time to give thanks...and its makes no sense as to why or how one could give thanks in a time like this (such as an injury or death) don't forget to praise our God all the same as he knows us and has us completely. Thanks God for all of the little hard times I have already faced...and the many more to come. I accept them no matter how difficult they are as I trust you. You know how much we can handle. Amen.