A TRAVELLER'S TALE

Two travellers, Aesop tells us, agreed to stand by each other in danger. Suddenly a savage bear rushed on them. One traveller, forgetting his companion and his promises, immediately ran to a tree and climbed into its branches. The other, left to himself, felt that he had no chance of survival. Remembering however, that a bear will not touch a dead body, he threw himself flat on his face and pretended to be dead.

The bear came up, sniffed at him all over, and at length, feeling satisfied there was no life in the body, walked off.

At this the coward descended from his hiding-place and asked, with a smile, what it was that the bear had whispered. "I noticed," said he, "that he put his mouth very close to your ear."

"Why," replied the other, "he gave me this very good advice: never trust those who in the hour of trial refuse to stand by their friends."

We in the Christian churches are continually saying that there is someone who will not be like the cowardly travelling companion. Someone who will travel through all of life's ups and downs with us as our constant guide and friend. It is Jesus whom many people have discovered is that faithful friend. He has made the promise to be with us always and he always keeps his promises. Christianity is aboutputting our trust in Jesus and taking him at his word and that in turn makes us faithful too.

It is true that for many people Christianity has never really been tried. If it were then what a difference it would make to our life, to our community and to our world - and that's a promise!

Reverend Martin Ambler - Broadstone United Reformed Church.

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