The Stone By Justin Lippiatt
“I want you to plant a stone.”
“What?”
“I want you to plant a stone.” said the Lord
“What do you mean, ‘I want you to plant a stone’? I mean, how can I plant a stone?!”
“I want you to plant a stone. I want you to water it every day. I want you to weed the bed, and mix fertiliser in the soil.”
“You realise of course, this is a STONE we are talking about here!”
“I want you to plant the stone with love, and care. I want you to nurture and look after it. I want you to watch it grow.” said the Lord.
“I must be confused, or stupid, or both! Am I really hearing Your voice?”
“Yes you are.”
“Well okay, if You say so.”
“I say so.”
Obediently, but grudgingly, the young man planted the stone as directed. He followed all the directions. He waited and watched. He waited and watched. Nothing happened. He knew it wouldn’t grow!
As time passed he asked the Lord (with somewhat of an attitude!), “I did exactly as you asked! I knew it wouldn’t grow. What was the point?”
“Did you believe it would grow?”
“No, I know I couldn’t ‘grow’ a stone.” replied the young man.
“What did you learn?” asked the Lord.
“That I can’t grow a stone!”
“That’s right. What else?”
“I don’t know.” the young man mumbled in frustration.
“Should I tell you what you learned?”
“Yes, please.”
“You learned that; even though you didn’t understand why I wanted you to do something, you did it.”
“You learned that; being obedient is more important than the outcome.”
“You learned that; without faith or the belief in something, the task is meaningless.”
“You learned that; only through constant dialogue and communication with Me, then you will know My voice.”
“You learned that; My command to love is unconditional, regardless of what you think or feel.”
The young man responded, “You’re right about all those things, but did the stone grow?”
“No, but you did!”
“I want you to plant a stone.”
“What?”
“I want you to plant a stone.” said the Lord
“What do you mean, ‘I want you to plant a stone’? I mean, how can I plant a stone?!”
“I want you to plant a stone. I want you to water it every day. I want you to weed the bed, and mix fertiliser in the soil.”
“You realise of course, this is a STONE we are talking about here!”
“I want you to plant the stone with love, and care. I want you to nurture and look after it. I want you to watch it grow.” said the Lord.
“I must be confused, or stupid, or both! Am I really hearing Your voice?”
“Yes you are.”
“Well okay, if You say so.”
“I say so.”
Obediently, but grudgingly, the young man planted the stone as directed. He followed all the directions. He waited and watched. He waited and watched. Nothing happened. He knew it wouldn’t grow!
As time passed he asked the Lord (with somewhat of an attitude!), “I did exactly as you asked! I knew it wouldn’t grow. What was the point?”
“Did you believe it would grow?”
“No, I know I couldn’t ‘grow’ a stone.” replied the young man.
“What did you learn?” asked the Lord.
“That I can’t grow a stone!”
“That’s right. What else?”
“I don’t know.” the young man mumbled in frustration.
“Should I tell you what you learned?”
“Yes, please.”
“You learned that; even though you didn’t understand why I wanted you to do something, you did it.”
“You learned that; being obedient is more important than the outcome.”
“You learned that; without faith or the belief in something, the task is meaningless.”
“You learned that; only through constant dialogue and communication with Me, then you will know My voice.”
“You learned that; My command to love is unconditional, regardless of what you think or feel.”
The young man responded, “You’re right about all those things, but did the stone grow?”
“No, but you did!”
