Coal Basket Lesson

COAL BASKET BIBLE
The story is told of an old man who lived
on a farm in the mountains of eastern 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 before he could
get back to the house. The grandfather
laughed and said, "You will 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 he returned home. Out
of breath, he told his grandfather that it
was "impossible to carry water in a basket,"
and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of
water; I want a basket of water. You can do
this. You're just not trying hard enough,"
and he went out the door to watch the boy try
again. 

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible,
but he wanted to show his grandfather that
even if he ran as fast as he could, the water
would leak out before he got far at all. The
boy scooped the water and ran hard, 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 the basket looked different. Instead of a
dirty old coal basket, it was clean.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the
Bible. You might not understand or remember
everything you read, but, it will change you
from the inside out.

That is the work of God in our lives. To change
us from the inside out, and to slowly transform
us into the image of His son. Take time to read
a portion of God's word each day. For God so
loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten
Son for you and me.

  Praise God daily!