Jesus Take the Wheel | Mark Bowser Blog

INSPIRATION #3:

We are all beautiful in the eyes of God.

The late chaplain of the United States Senate, Peter Marshall, used to tell a story titled “The Keeper of the Spring,” which I think illustrates beautifully how God looks at each one of us. The story is about a man who lived in a forest in the eastern Alps overlooking an Austrian village. This old man had been hired years ago by a wise town council to make sure the mountain waters flowed freely into the wonderful spring which flowed into the quaint village.

The old man faithfully year after year removed leaves, twigs, and everything that could contaminate or clog the flowing water. As a result, the village spring was an attraction for vacationers and swans alike. The village was peaceful, happy, and blessed.

One night, years later, another town council began talking about the almost mythical keeper of the spring. They wondered, “Why are we paying this man? Does anyone ever see him? This money could be used for better purposes.” As a result, they decided to terminate the services of the old man.

For a while, everything stayed the same. The spring was beautiful and the village blossomed. But then came autumn. The trees began to loose their grip on their leaves. Twigs and branches broke off the trees and fell into the stream.

One day, someone noticed something different about their wonderful spring. It was changing to a different color. Soon a haze came over parts of the spring and a sickening smell began to hover around it. The vacationers left the lovely village. The swans decided to look for a new home.

The town council called an emergency meeting. They realized what a terrible mistake they had made by firing the old man of the forest. They immediately hired him back. The old man got to work and performed the miracle again. Within a few weeks, the life-giving water was flowing freely and surely to the village spring. Soon all was normal, healthy, and blessed.
Many times we treat people in our lives much like the town council treated “the keeper of the spring.” We appear to have no use for them and we take them for granted. But God looks at each of us much differently. He sees the beauty in each one of us. After all, He created us in His own image. When we look at people the way God sees them it puts a whole new light on them. Who knows? (God knows) … there may be a “keeper of the spring” in your neighborhood.

This article is excerpted from Mark Bowser’s book “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” It is on an Amazon.com promotion where you can download the Kindle version for free. Promotion only lasts till February 15,2013. Get it now from Amazon. Go to http://amzn.to/TPpuOw