Why You Need Injuries Part I

And other setbacks.

Let me tell you a story. Maybe you’ve heard it before.

There once was an old man who lived in a small village. He was poor, but he had a beautiful white horse. Everyone wanted it, even the king. This white horse was unlike any other strong, majestic.

People offered countless fortunes for this horse but the old man refused. Even though the man was poor, he never gave in.

One day, the horse wasn’t in his stable. The village gawked. “You fool,” they sneered. “You should have sold him. What poor luck,” they said.

The old man calmly replied, “Don’t speak too swiftly. All we know is the horse is not in the stable. The rest is judgment. How can we know if I’ve been cursed or not?”

The people contested, “We’re not fools! Your horse is gone; that’s a curse!”

The old man replied, “The stable is empty, and the horse is gone. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, who can say?”

The people laughed. They thought he was crazy. He was a fool to stay poor and not sell the horse.

Two weeks later, the horse reappeared. He’d run away and returned accompanied by a dozen wild horses. The village people gathered, “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. This is a blessing, not a curse!”

The man responded, “We only know that the horse is back. How do you know if this is a blessing or curse?”

The people shook their heads. Twelve wild horses had returned. This was a blessing.

Have you ever experienced a setback that turned into a blessing or the reverse?

The old man’s son started training the wild horses. But he fell off one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered.

“You were right, The horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your son has broken his legs, and you have no one to help you. You are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again, “We only know that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse?”

A few weeks later the country declared war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded because he was injured. The people cried and screamed because their sons were taken.

“You were right, old man.” They wept. “This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man sighed, “No one knows. Say only this: your sons went to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse.”

Injuries, Setbacks, Obstacles, they’re not what you think.

We can only know what happened. Who is to say whether they are a blessing or a curse? We’re all guilty of judging our circumstances without seeing the negative or positive consequences . . . Okay, thanks for the great story, but how do I apply this to my life?

Tune in next week for Part II on Why You Need Injuries & Setbacks.

Thanks for reading! And please come back, and bring your friends.

What would you like to hear about next?