The Devil & The Duck
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to
play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit
the target. Getting a little
discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As
he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse,
he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was
shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister
watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes' But Sally
said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.' Then she
whispered to him, "Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma
said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'
Sally just smiled and said, 'well that's all right because Johnny told me he
wanted to help?
She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny
stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally
couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I
was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I
forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of
you.'
Thought
for the day and every day thereafter:
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps
throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred,
anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is...You need to know that: God was
standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole
life... He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's
just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The
great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only
forgives you, but He forgets.
Sent
by Heather Hoyle from Central Point, Oregon.