The Stone in the Road
There is an ancient story known as “The Stone in the Road.” The story concerns a wealthy man who lived in a castle. He loved the people of his village and worked hard to serve them, planting lovely trees in the village, making picnics for the children, putting up Christmas trees. He wanted their world to be beautiful and pleasant.
But, this wealthy man was concerned because the people of the town did not seem to want to work, Instead, they seemed to envy his wealth.
One day, he placed a large stone in the middle of the road and hid behind a nearby bush to see what would happen.
A farmer walked past the stone and cursed its presence. A poor man went around it. One by one, those who came to the stone complained about the fact that it stood in the middle of the road, but did nothing about it.
Finally, near dusk, a young man who worked at the mill came by. He was tired from a long day of working hard at the mill. He thought about walking around the stone, but he was concerned that someone might fall over the stone in the dark and get hurt.
So, he pushed and pulled the stone, working hard, until he moved it off the road. Much to his surprise, he found that a bag had been underneath the stone. He picked it up and found it was filled with gold. On the bag, there was a message that stated, “He who moves the stone will have the gold.”
The young man went home happy. The rich man, too, returned to his castle with a happy heart, having found someone who was willing to do the hard things.
I read this tale in the Epoch Times this week, and understood the message of the ancient tale—that rewards come to those who work hard and who truly care about the needs of others.
But, in thinking about it, I realized how much the story had definitive Christian parallels.
First, we are told that riches are not handed out equally, but that we are to be content no matter our circumstances. Clearly, the village was filled with people who were not content. Instead, they were jealous of the rich man. And, that jealousy bred an unhappy spirit, a spirit that focused each man on his own needs instead of the needs of those around him.
Second, the people focused on their unhappiness instead of the goodness around them. The trees, picnics, and Christmas tree—all done from them—was not appreciated. Instead, they focused on their lack of wealth.
Third, this self-directed nature caused them to see the stone in the road only as a problem for them, not as a potential crisis for someone coming along at night.
But, the story also tells us how to rewind the story and to allow a different spirit to take over. The young man focused on the needs of others. He could have walked around the rock—but instead he cared about those who were going to follow him, and who could be injured.
His focus on others produced a “rich” reward for himself. He didn’t seek it. He didn’t anticipate it.
The Bible tells us to appreciate the goodness around us:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
Scripture tells us not to envy what others have:
“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” Proverbs 14:30 (ESV)
The Bible encourages us to help those around us:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others.” Philippians 2: 4-5 (ESV)
The Bible offers the deep wisdom we need to live fulfilling lives.
Ancient wisdom.
How will we reflect this wisdom in our own lives today?