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Our kindness toward others is something that will always be rewarded. Just
as a farmer receives a harvest from the seeds that he has planted, so it is
with us in life. Our good deeds as well as our bad deeds will take root
and bring back to us the things that we had planted through our life. God
says in Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, cold
and heat, winter and summer, and day and night Shall not cease." Always
keep in mind that the things that you plant within your life will come
back to you to either bless you or curse you. It is all up to us in how
we plant our futures seeds.
If you are feeling discouraged because you think that your good deeds are
all a waste of time, then I hope you will be blessed by this story that
shows how our good works will always come back to bless us.
ANDROCLUS AND THE LION
Heart racing, legs aching, he reached the forest; Androclus knew no other
safe place. He could survive there--find roots and berries, avoid wild
animals. He had few choices--He would be executed as a runaway slave if
caught.
He wondered how it would be, living in terror of discovery. Every pine
cone that fell softly to the mossy carpet beneath his feet was enough to
make him jump, jerking his head around so wide eyes could search for soldiers.
He needed shelter. Rain was in the air, and it would soon be dark. Through
the trees, he saw an opening in the rocks. Thinking it might be big enough
to sleep in just for one night, Androclus veered toward it.
Suddenly he stopped. Lying to the right of the opening was a lion. Instinct
kicked in and Androclus ran, praying that the creature had already eaten.
Hearing no sound of pursuit, he slowed, and then stopped. Looking back, he
saw that the lion had not chased. In fact, its only movement had been to
roll its head to look at the man--rather sorrowfully, Androclus thought.
Slowly, he retraced his steps. The lion was in pain. Androclus spoke
softly, stroking mane and back, gently searching for the injury. Finally,
he found it--a nasty gash on the lion's hind leg that had been bleeding
for some time and showed no sign of stopping. The man tore cloth from the
hem of his tunic and cleaned the wound. The lion shuddered and groaned.
Finally, it slept.
Just then the clouds let go of their rain. Androclus crawled into the cave
and fell asleep immediately. It had been a long run from the city. Minutes
later, he awoke as the lion crawled into the cave next to him, dragging its
leg and collapsed with a wheezing sigh.
The cave was large and the man and beast lived together for several weeks.
Androclus found a fresh spring not too far away. The two hunted and
gathered the food each needed.
One day, while scooping water from the stream, Androclus felt something
sharp press into his neck.
"Don't move," a quarrelsome voice ordered. "There's quite a reward for the
life of a runaway slave, you know. Now, stand up slowly."
Forced back to the city, Androclus thought of his friend the lion, knowing
they would never meet again. He was taken to stand before the Emperor in
court, and was there sentenced to death. Soldiers took him to a stone cell
in the halls under the arena until the time of execution.
Finally, they led him into the arena. The crowd spat its hatred. But they
began a thunderous cheer when a lion was loosed--a lion that had not been
fed for several days, a lion poked and prodded into fierce anger by the
soldiers. It roared when it saw the man, and bounded headlong toward its prey.
Androclus knew he didn't stand a chance. Still, his muscles tensed for
the fight, readied for pain. How different things had turned out when he
befriended a lion in pain instead of poking and prodding one. He closed
his eyes, waiting for the weight of the animal, steeling against the first
slashing blow.
Instead of searing pain, he felt the tongue of the lion wash his face as
it knocked him to the ground. Androclus opened his eyes--face to face
with his friend from the forest. Instead of pouncing to kill, even after
days of hunger and torment, the lion, once so gently cared for, fawned
over the man like a friendly dog.
The crowd was instantly silent, the Emperor stunned. He called Androclus
to him, and Androclus told his story.
"Both Androclus and his lion are hereby freed," the Emperor announced.
"Such amazing kindness and gratitude between fierce enemies should be
greatly rewarded."
By Cassandra Lindell
We need to remember that God is omniscient and omnipresent. He knows
everything that we go through and watches us in the secret parts of our
life when no one else is watching. The Bible says He sees us when we are
sitting up and He sees us when we are lying down. God knows your every
heartache and your every sacrifice. There is nothing that catches God by
surprise and just because you may think God is not able to help you in a
particular situation, you need to remember that He is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or even think.
(Jeremiah 23:23-24) (Matthew 6:1-6) (Ephesians 3:20)
I encourage you to stay faithful in the task or position that God has
placed you in. Continue to have love, compassion and mercy to those around
you that are in need, and never think your deeds will go unrewarded. Jesus
said the smallest cup of water that you give to someone else in need; it
is as if you have given it unto Me. Love those around you and care for
those that God has placed upon your heart. You will be fulfilling God's
commandment and in return receiving the reward of being a just and faithful
steward. (Matthew 5:7-9) (Luke 12:42-44) (Matthew 25:41-46)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Galatians 6:7-10 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a
man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the
flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit
reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in
due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the
household of faith."
1 John 4:7-11 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does
not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested
toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we
might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that
He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved,
if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
1 Peter 3:8-12 "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for
one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not
returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary
blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a
blessing. For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain
his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away
from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of
the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
All scriptures can be found in the New King James Version.
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
