Seems there was an old farmer who had an even older mule. One day, the mule fell into an abondoned well and couldn't get out. Knowing that the mule was old and not worth saving, the farmer began to think, "Well, I need a new well and a new mule, so I'll kill two birds with one stone." With that, the farmer began to dig a new well, throwing the dirt from the new well into the old well thinking the mule would just be buried where he was.
The old mule would have none of that. As each shovel of dirt landed on his back, he shook it to the ground, tramped it down and stepped up just a little. Shovel after shovel, shake after shake, that old mule stepped up out of his intended grave and just walked away.
His illustration reminds me of the story of Joseph, how his brothers had the idea of throwing him in a well. They were tempted to kill him, though they ultimately decided to sell him into slavery, settling on destroying his life rather than ending it.
God, however, had a different plan for Joseph -- a plan that would make him the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. Instead of dying in a well or living as a slave, God destined him for wealth and power and prestige. And God gave him the opportunity to save his brothers from starvation.
Years later, long after Joseph had reconciled with his brothers, they were still afraid he would seek revenge, but Joseph had a different perspective on his life. He said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good." (Genesis 50:20)
When you're down, you can be sure that there will always be someone willing to throw a little dirt on you. Remember that mule: shake it off and trample it; it will help you step up. This difficult situation may appear to have the power to destroy you, but by God's grace, it will actually serve the purpose of taking you to the next level.
This series is based in the experiences of the early church as recorded in the Book of Acts. Each week we will look at different passages which exemplify the Holy Spirit's Presence and Power both in the lives of the first century Believers and the life of the fledgling Christian church.
