The elephant story bringing out the message of "Obedience" Character. I selected this as one of the priority character builder for the kids at home. While I preparing the lesson before hands for them, I started to ponder, "Obedient". At their little age, there are lot of thing to learn and to understand the rules of living. There are something, some rules they couldn't break it, they have to obey with it. What about me in this age, what is the obedience subject for me, so they will able to model in life long? And we can build the character as a family. I am questioning myself, will I obey to something that I can cheerfully carrying out the wise direction of those who are responsible for me? Who are responsible with me in this age? It seems I have come to a stage I just like the boss to manage home, I am holding the highest authority to in charge of my life. I can do any decision, if I wanted to. I can respect others, but doesn't really come to a point of obey. But the only one I am fearful with is God, if he said he is the one who created the heavens and earth, the one who called me as their children.
Throughout my life, I didn't read bible as fast as I am at this point time. It should be desire driving me to get inside the bible, in order to seek for what will going to happen next; and the options as a human will have in this life. I feel that I am lost here and there to carry out my duty at home as a full time mom, and be a great companion of my husband. The strength to love and care my immediately families members and the binding power to hold the friendship. If the bible is a media to understand the history of Human being with God, from the beginnings to the end. I shouldn't miss it. I got to find out what is really true in this world. I can't just believe there is a God, but I don't know anything about God. Who is God, why I am here? Why God said He created the heavens and earth, and we are here. And everyone is fair to have only 24 hours a day, no matter who you are. I am digging into the Bible to tell me the truth. The hard core of the bible come into this point, "For God so loved the world, so He gave his one and only son. Whoever believe in Him, shall not perish, but with eternal life". "Love?", "Believe?", "Perish?", "Eternal?"
"Love", "Believe", "Perish", "Eternal".
Throughout the bible, it recorded the relationship between human and God, and lot of story about human behavior, obedience is one of the big topic to discuss. Carry out the obedient, it needs a lot of understand of the truth, it also can simple as based on the faith to authority.
Obedience is much more seen in little things than in great. Staying at home be a full time mom, I obey to the simple formula of LOVE. I BELIEVE, they will be under a good care as I can provide to them at this point of time. So they will not PERISH by misleading, influence and follow what is not right and by the world who are not authorize to do so. We will find the ETERNAL hope for the whole family to carry on and new life after our physical body and new life for the new generation by generation...
- Obey to parents in God, as this is right. Is a responsibility as a parent to teach children why an activity is right or wrong.
- Have a Cheerful attitude for both parents and child.
- Complete all that I am expected to do and go the "extra mile" together.
- Children understanding the purpose of guidelines and the consequences for failing to obey them.
- Not obey a wrong command. Reject wrong actions n order to obey parents, despite other pressures.
Quickly and cheerfully carrying out the wise direction of those are responsible for me.
I believe obedient spirit in sons and daughters motivates me to give the wisest possible counsel for their decision they face each day and life. It is a life long character to practice. To me, and to my little ones at home. Is a on going thing to do...
The Elephant
Heavy Wheels rolled along the road, stirring up great clouds of dust. Horses strained and axles squeaked as the old wagons wound their way toward the edge of town. The circus was coming! Each wagon carried strange animals which the townsfolk had never seen before.
There were lions, tigers and elephants, camels, bears, and monkeys; zebras, giraffes, and peacocks. Children gathered along the road. Their eyes shone with eager anticipation as they crowded around the wagons, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ringmaster, or the clowns, or the high-flying acrobats.
However, what the children were about to witness was more astounding than any circus act They were about to see an example of obedience which they would never forget.
As the wagons came to a stop in a large empty field which skirted the edge of a river just outside of town, several circus hands laid out a huge red and white tent on the grass. They carefully unfolded and unfolded and unfolded it until it covered almost the whole field. Others fitted long poles together and inserted them into brightly polished brass rings.
Much to the children's surprise, a young man not much older than they were walked up and looked at the tent. He folded his arms and studied the situation. Then without a word he turned and disappeared into the crowd of circus workers. A few minutes later the young man reappeared. Walking next to his right shoulder was a magnificent Indian elephant moved obediently with him. When the young man stopped, his elephant stopped too.
Hanging from the elephant's shoulders was a huge leather harness. It wrapped around the front of his neck and hooked together under his chest behind his front legs. It looked strong! as he stood there, the circus workers tied a thick, heavy rope to the harness. At the other end of the rope lay a large loop which the workers fitted around the base of the largest tent pole. Once everything had been carefully arranged, the young man whispered a single word into his elephant's ear. He simply said, "Kneel." The elephant never hesitated as it lowered its head and raised its front leg. The young man stepped up on the elephant's bent knee, swung himself up, and straddled the elephant's neck just behind its ears.
Then the young man whispered another word. He simply said, "Pull!" Without even the slightest pause the elephant leaned forward. The hardness squeaked as it tightened around his shoulders. The rope drew taut! Every muscle in the elephant's body strained against the weight of the tent. Slowly, but steadily, the bottom of the tent pole moved across the ground. as the bottom moved forward, the top of the pole began to rise. Higher and higher it rose until it was almost vertical. The whole weight of the tent rested on the pole, but the elephant didn't flinch. He continued to pull.
His master once again leaned over and whispered as single word. All he said was, "Stop." The children saw the elephant stop abruptly in the middle of a step. The pole stood straight up and down. To pull even a few inches too far could send the tent pole plummeting over backward, collapsing the tent, and injuring the circus workers who risked their lives every time they pitched the "Big Top."Everyone cheered as the circus workers feverishly staked down the edges of the tent to hold it in place. The elephant's job was done.
In just a few hours the tent would echo as the ringmaster shouted the words, "Ladies and Gentlemen Boys and Girls, the circus is about to begin! There was just one problem... Once small, but disastrous problem. The workers, in their haste to prepare for the evening show, had pitched the tent in the wrong spot! The Big Top was supposed to be on the other side of the river, where all the fod for the animals had been delivered a few hours before the circus had arrived in town. No food meant hungry animals. Hungry animals meant hungry lions, and hungry lions meant... Oh, boy!
Unfortunately, the only bridge across the river was too far away to move the food before the evenin show, and the circus tent was too hard to take down and move to other side of the river. The show must go on! But how?
Boldly the young man stepped forward with his elephant still at his side. He whispered but one word in his elephant's ear. He simply said "Fetch.". Immediately, the elephant turned and headed toward the river. He stepped into the water, not knowing how deep it was. He waded deeper and deeper until only back legs toughed the rocky bottom. Not knowing how to swim, he balanced himself on his hind legs to keep his head above water. Eventually he climbed out of the river on the other side.
At first the elephant appeared puzzled. His master had given him only one word of instruction. He looked back across the river at the young man who had sent him. He could see his master leaning against a tree with his arms folded, waiting! Doing what he was expected to do, the elephant carefully slid his powerful tusks under one of the pallets of food which lay before him and wrapped his long trunk securely over the top to hold the bags in place. Looking more like a forklift than an elephant, he turned and stepped back into the river. Holding the feed high above the water to avoid getting it wet, the elephant worked his way back across the river.
Setting the pallet of grain at his master's feet, the elephant looked expectantly at this master. But his master said nothing. Again the elephant looked puzzled. He looked at his master. He looked across the river. He looked at the heavy pallet of grain. Doing what he was supposed to do, the elephant plunged into the water. Across the river he went for a second load of grain.
By the time he'd returned, the first pallet was empty. Workers busily distributed the food among the circus animals, but his master continued to lean against the tree with his arms folded. The elephant looked at his master. He looked at the food. He looked across the river. Without any further instruction, he plunged into the river a third time. Again and again! Back and forth he went. All afternoon and into the early evening he worked until he had carried the final pallet of feed across the river and set it at this master's feet.
When all was done, the amazing elephant had fed the whole circus. Then to everyone's surprise, he stepped up to his master, lowered his head, and began to purr. Though he hadn't eaten anything himself, though he had worked all day, though he was dripping wet and cold, the pleasant rumbling sound expressed the elephant's cheerful attitude.
Inside the Big Top, the laughter of children quieted and the lights dimmed as the words, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls" rang throughout the circus... only because of the obedience of the elephant.
