There is an ancient Jewish tale, perhaps you will remember, that may lack in theological truth, yet the moral of the story is not only beautiful but practical.  Here it is:

 

"The Lord said to a rabbi, 'Come, I will show you hell.' They entered a room where a group of people sat around a huge pot of stew.  Everyone was famished and desperate.  Each held a spoon that reached a pot, but each spoon had a handle so long that it could not be used to reach each one's own mouth.  The suffering was terrible.

 

"'Come, now I will show you heaven,' the Lord said after a while.  They entered another room, identical to the first-the pot of stew, the group of people, the same long spoons.  But there everyone was happy and nourished.

 

"'I don't understand,' said the rabbi.  'Why are they happy here when they were miserable in the other room and everything was the same?' The Lord smiled, 'Ah, but don't you see?' He said, 'Here they have learned to feed each other.'"

 

That was just a story but here is History.  On the evening before Christ's crucifixion, Jesus washed the disciples' feet and then said, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you...Now that you know these things, you will be blessed (happy) if you do them" (John 13:15, 17). 

 

Albert Schweitzer once wrote, "The only ones among us who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve."

 

Jesus called His first disciples to a blessed life of service and what was true for them is true for us.  The road to happiness is paved with love and service.  So grab up a towel and basin of water and hit the road...

 

Devotedly your servant,

Pastor Ron