One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.

“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman, “you should be working rather than lying on the beach!” The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?” “Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer. “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!” “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said. “And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!” Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?” The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

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Contentment is a difficult attitude to learn, but so important.

It’s easy to get caught in the world’s trap of working harder and harder to earn more and more, when we may well already have what can provide us with the greatest possible happiness. May you know true contentment today?

“Now Godliness with contentment is great gain, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1Timothy 6:6-8).

Once the son of a great King wanted to go and spend some time in a beautiful village. But the King was reluctant to let the Prince go because of his enemies living in that area.

So the Prince decided to go in disguise. The King allowed. He got dressed up as a poor lad. He hid in his trouser the signet ring his father gifted him on his birthday.

No one recognized the Prince as he went into the village. Happily, he started enjoying the beauty of that place.

However, after a few days, a serious fight broke out between two tribes of the village. Hoping to pacify them, he got involved in the problem. But, angrily, they came against this unknown lad and began attacking him.

As he was trying to escape them, the signet ring fell out of his trouser. They snatched the signet ring and found out that this was the son of the great King! Terrified, they fell at his feet and apologized for attacking him. They promised him that they would live in peace and wouldn’t harm each other any more!

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What made these angry tribes to suddenly apologize to the ‘poor lad’? It was the signet ring – the finger ring with the King’s seal set in it. The signet ring revealed his royal identity. Suddenly the ‘poor lad’ was highly respected as the legal representative of the King.

Do you know that Christ has set his signet ring on our fingers? Some of us may not have noticed it! That’s called ‘love’. Jesus said, “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:35 – The Message Bible).

As followers of Christ, we experience God’s love when we pray, worship and walk in obedience to His Word daily. And we share this love with people around us.

The world has its own kind of love. It is selfish love. It’s arrogant and dirty. People around us are disappointed with it. It is just opposite of God’s love.

What is the specialty of God’s love? 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 reveal the following:

It never gives up. It cares more for others than for self. It doesn’t envy or boast. It’s not proud. It’s not rude. It isn’t always “me first”. It’s not easily angered. It doesn’t keep score of the sins of others. It doesn’t delight in evil. It rejoices with the truth. It always protects. It always trusts God. It always looks for the best. It never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Put on this signet ring every day as you do your work. Don’t remove it when you go through hard times.

When you deal with difficult people, make sure that you are wearing this precious ring. They will surely notice the ring! And they will eventually recognize the owner of this signet ring – Jesus Christ!

“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” – (Acts 5:32)

The apostles, and a few others very close to Jesus, were witnesses of Jesus’ presence after his resurrection from the dead. However, if we listen carefully to this statement of Peter, there is a great promise for those of us who live centuries after Jesus’ resurrection.

We have living in us the witness of Jesus’ resurrection — the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promises to send this witness — sometimes called our Anointing from the Holy One, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter or Advocate or Counselor — to us to live in his followers. This promise is not just for those of the first century, but this is a forever promise to anyone who loves Jesus and obeys his teaching! (See John 14:16-23.)

Just as Peter said, the Holy Spirit is the Witness God gives to those who obey Jesus! Want to hear testimony to the resurrection of Jesus? Listen and look for the work of the Spirit in your own life!

Prayer : Father, I am astounded by the touches of grace in every aspect of the Jesus story. Today, however, my heart is apprehended by the incredible gift of grace you have given to me in the Holy Spirit. While I affirm the importance of Scripture and the truth of the Bible, I am deeply moved to realize that you have given me the Holy Spirit as your living Witness inside me, assuring me of the resurrection of my Lord. Thank you! I praise you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.