Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived on adjoining farms and fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 30 years of living side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then, the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and grew into a major difference, and finally exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother, "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us, and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence--so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger, and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town for supplies. So he helped the carpenter get the materials ready, and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge--a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all--and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across with his hand outstretched.
"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, embracing one another. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days, I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have so many more bridges to build.
Many of us have bridges to build. Do you have some thing against your brother or sister? "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him."
(I John 2:9-11)
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Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived on adjoining farms and fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 30 years of living side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then, the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and grew into a major difference, and finally exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother, "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us, and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence--so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger, and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town for supplies. So he helped the carpenter get the materials ready, and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge--a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all--and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across with his hand outstretched.
"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, embracing one another. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days, I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have so many more bridges to build.
Many of us have bridges to build. Do you have some thing against your brother or sister? "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him."
(I John 2:9-11)
