A Wise Cherokee Legend
Have you heard of the Cherokee Indian youth Passage rite?
When he reaches a certain age, his father will take him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone to sit on a stump. He is required to linger on a stump the entire night and must not remove the blindfold until the morning sun rays shines through it. One rule he has to abide is that he must not cry out for help.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot even talk to the other boys of this experience, as each lad must reach manhood on his own.
During his trial in the night he is naturally petrified as he can hear all sorts of noises. Wild beasts must surely be nearby. Maybe even some human might do him harm. Night winds blew the grass and earth, and even shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. This is the only way he could become a man!
After a terrifying night, the sun came out in the morning and he removed his blindfold.
To his surprise he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him all night. Watching and protecting his son from harm the entire duration of his trial.
In life we, too, are never alone.
Even when we don’t realize it, God is always looking after us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
