The Parable of the Horse and the Mire
One Sunday afternoon, just outside a small country town, an old preacher was walking with his congregation. Although he wasn't exactly a happy- looking man, he was certainly a faithful one. He had been pastoring this small-town church for decades. On this day, the church congregation planned to have a picnic after the service. When church was over, they all walked out of town, heading towards the pond in the meadow. As they walked together, they came across a heartbreaking sight. When they saw it, the men of the church shook their heads sadly, the women gasped, and the children began to cry. What they saw...was a giant draft horse stuck in the mud beside the pond. The horse looked as if it had once been a magnificent animal; strong, sleek, and powerful. But by the time the congregation came across it, it was obvious that it had been stuck for a while. It's giant body may have been intimidating once, but now the weight of it only pushed it deeper into the mire. It's str...
