The Coal Basket Bible

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountainsof  Kentucky with his young grandson.  Each morning,  Grandpa was up early  sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old  worn-out Bible.  His  grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Papa, I try to  read the Bible just like you  but I don’t  understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I  close the book.  What good does reading the Bible do?”

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and  said,”Take this coal basket down to the river and  bring back a basket of  water.”

The boy did as he was told, even though all  the water leaked out  beforehe could get back to the house.  The grandfather laughed and said,  “Youwill have to move a little faster next time,”  and sent him back to  the  river with  the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the  basket was empty before  hereturned home. Out of breath, he told his  grandfather that it was”impossible to carry water in a basket,” and he went  to get a bucketinstead. The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of  water; I want a basketof  water.  You can do this. You’re just not trying hard  enough,” and hewent  out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was  impossible, but he wanted to showhis grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he  could, the water wouldleak out before he got far at all.  The boy scooped  the water and ranhard,  but when he reached his grandfather the basket was  again empty. Out  of  breath, he said, “See Papa, it’s useless!”

“So you think it is useless?” the old man  said.  “Look at the basket.” The boy looked at the basket and for the  first time he realized that  thebasket looked different.    Instead of a dirty  old coal basket, it wasclean. “Son, that’s what happens when you read the  Bible.  You might notunderstand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change youfrom the inside out.”  That is the work of God in  our lives.   To change us from the inside out and to slowly transform usinto the image of His son.

Take time to read a portion of God’s word each day, and remind a  friend by sharing this story.”Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply,  Speak Kindly, Leave the Rest  to God.”

– joe eruppakkatt