Sunday, September 14, 2008

the three blind men and the elephant

There were 3 blind men, who had not seen since birth, and were given the gift from a mahut of going to "see" his elephant. But, because the elephant wasn't used to being handled by strangers, each blind man had to go in individually.

So, the first man went in and grabbed the elephant by an ear. "OH, he said, the elephant is powerful! He is like a great leaf of the forest, strong and large and flat! How great is the elephant!" and, after a while, he left.

The next man came it, and happened to grab a tusk. "OH, he said, the elephat is powerful! He is like a staff of great power. He must have the magic of the ages! How wise and wonderful is the elephant!" and, after a while, he left.

The third, and last man, came to see the elephant. He walked straight into the side of the elephant who was now lying down. "OH, like a great wall is the elephant," said the blind man. He must be able to stop any charge, to control any flood, to push any object. His skin is rough and hairy and deeply wrinkled. The elephant is short and round. How like a large stone is the elephant!" He, too, left.

The three blind men met together outside the mahut's elephant enclosure and began to discuss the elephant. Of course, the discussion led to an argument. The argument led to a fight. Each was SURE of what he had "seen", and felt, and heard while he was in with the elephant. After the fight had come to blows, and words had been spoken that could never be taken back, the three old friends parted.

You see, my darling, God is like the elephant and we are like the blind men. Who is to say which of us is wrong, and which is right And, will we not have our eyes cleared by The Lord on the day of reckoning What if one of us has the tusk, and one the tail, and one the ear, and we are fighting over nothing?

Just a thought...

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