by Trina Riley
Khing, the master carver, made a bell stand of precious wood. When it was finished, all who saw it were astounded. They said it must be the work of spirits. The Prince of Lu said to the master carver: “What is your secret?”
Khing replied: “I am only a workman: I have no secret. There is only this: when I began to think about the work you commanded. I guarded my spirit, did not expend it on trifles, that were not to the point. I fasted in order to set my heart at rest.
"After three days fasting, I had forgotten gain and success. After five days I had forgotten praise or criticism. After seven days I had forgotten my body with all its limbs.
"By this time all thought of your Highness and of the court had faded away. All that might distract me from the work had vanished. I was collected in the single thought of the bell stand.
"Then I went to the forest to see the trees in their own natural state. When the right tree appeared before my eyes, the bell stand also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt. All I had to do was to put forth my hand and begin. If I had not met this particular tree, there would have been no bell stand at all.
"What happened? My own collected thought encountered the hidden potential in the wood; From this live encounter came the work which you ascribe to the spirits."
(by Thomas Merton from the teachings of Chuang Tzu)
Where do you find yourself in this story? What stands out? What images, emotions or revelations does it evoke? Read it again. Notice… wonder… imagine. Go ahead! Let down and even have some fun with it. Our Father loves for us to be creative and playful… this journey with Him is not meant to be only serious and heavy. You may be surprised!
God is the great Master of using story, poetry, metaphors, and imagery to help us see and understand the deeper things of Him… and of ourselves. Our work (life) is an outward manifestation of our inner life. As we are more deliberate and in tune with our own souls and relationship with Him, our story becomes full and rich… a natural outflow of truth, understanding, and deep intimacy with a loving God.
Khing, the master carver, made a bell stand of precious wood. When it was finished, all who saw it were astounded. They said it must be the work of spirits. The Prince of Lu said to the master carver: “What is your secret?”
Khing replied: “I am only a workman: I have no secret. There is only this: when I began to think about the work you commanded. I guarded my spirit, did not expend it on trifles, that were not to the point. I fasted in order to set my heart at rest.
"After three days fasting, I had forgotten gain and success. After five days I had forgotten praise or criticism. After seven days I had forgotten my body with all its limbs.
"By this time all thought of your Highness and of the court had faded away. All that might distract me from the work had vanished. I was collected in the single thought of the bell stand.
"Then I went to the forest to see the trees in their own natural state. When the right tree appeared before my eyes, the bell stand also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt. All I had to do was to put forth my hand and begin. If I had not met this particular tree, there would have been no bell stand at all.
"What happened? My own collected thought encountered the hidden potential in the wood; From this live encounter came the work which you ascribe to the spirits."
(by Thomas Merton from the teachings of Chuang Tzu)
Where do you find yourself in this story? What stands out? What images, emotions or revelations does it evoke? Read it again. Notice… wonder… imagine. Go ahead! Let down and even have some fun with it. Our Father loves for us to be creative and playful… this journey with Him is not meant to be only serious and heavy. You may be surprised!
God is the great Master of using story, poetry, metaphors, and imagery to help us see and understand the deeper things of Him… and of ourselves. Our work (life) is an outward manifestation of our inner life. As we are more deliberate and in tune with our own souls and relationship with Him, our story becomes full and rich… a natural outflow of truth, understanding, and deep intimacy with a loving God.
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