By: Dave Illingworth
I think this story is okay to tell because my father, who was a Presbyterian minister, told it to me many years ago.
An old man and a young boy decided to go into their village. The old man put the young boy on their donkey, and they headed out with the old man leading the donkey.
They met a group of people who complained to the old man, “What are you doing? You should be riding the donkey and letting the young boy walk.” So the old man got on the donkey, and young boy walked.
They met another group of people who complained, “What are you doing? The young boy should not have to walk. The old man should be leading the donkey.” So they changed back again.
They met another group of people who complained, “What are you doing? Why is one of you walking? Why don’t you both ride on the donkey?” So they both got on the donkey.
They met another group of people as they approached the village who complained, “What are you doing? You are too heavy for that poor donkey. Look at what you have done to him. You both need to get off him.”
So the old man and the boy got off the poor donkey. They picked up the donkey to carry him across the bridge into the village—but they accidentally dropped him into the stream below, and the donkey drowned.
The moral of the story is this: “Be careful; when you try to please everyone, you can lose your ass.”
1 Peter 2:19 “For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right…” (NLT)
