Thursday, April 3, 2008

Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage.



His
father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him an
d leaves him alone.


He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.


He cannot cry out for help to anyone.


Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come
into manhood on his own.


The boy is naturally terrified.


He can hear all kinds of noises.


Wild beasts must surely be all around him.


Maybe even some human might do him harm.


The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally , after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his
blindfold.


It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stumpnext to him.


He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.


We, too, are never alone.


Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.


When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.


 


 


 


Moral of the story:


Just because you can't see God,


Doesn't mean He is not there.


'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'


 



 


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes, I believe this sentiment.  It is put very well here.  Pam has been wondering about her mother since she has been ill but I believe her mother is right there knowing how sick she has been.  She is not alone.  I donot think we are ever alone.  There is always an angel with us watching over us and trying to lead us in paths that will make life easier for us and more productive.  Gerry

Anonymous said...

somehow that treatment sounds horrifying and should not be done to any child, whether or not the father might be watching, which the kid never knew, frozen in fear, but then that must be the Cherokee way.

love,