The Princess That Could Not Cry~

Books, in our upstairs at my grandparent's there were all sorts of books. I honestly don't remember learning to read--I remember looking at the pictures. Drawings of kids from the nineteen thirties accompanying poems such as:  

"I have a little doggy who used to sit and beg, 

but doggy tumbled down the stairs and broke his little leg..." 

Hopeful that this works. I'm not a computer geek, nor do I understand computers at all. So, why I cannot get the alignment setting to reset from center back to normal I have no idear. Sigh, and roll eyes here. 

Back to the story about stories. Somehow, not learning to read, just knowing how to read. My cousin Coco and I used to laugh at one book in particular with the name 'Excuse My Dust'. I don't know what it was about, and I would like now to take a closer look at it, but alas, it has gone the way of the world. There were classics, and Readers from a different school era. Most of those appeared to be from a Catholic school curriculum. An oddity, because no one except my Uncle Matt had ever been Catholic, and I'm sure they weren't his. I still have in my possession some of those dear readers. I think I should have memorized them I read them so many times. There was 'The Caliph's Wonderful Clock', 'Cinder Lad', even a 'Saint George, the Dragon Slayer'. One that has stuck in my mind was, 'The Princess Who Could Not Cry'. It was exactly that, about a princess that no matter what happened would laugh. The King and Queen did all they could think of to get her to cry, they even called in experts and offered a reward to that end. It was all to no avail. At last a 'good wife' came to them carrying a medium sized covered basket. Everyone was curious, but no one imagined this pleasant middle aged woman would meet with success. Much to their surprise within half an hour they heard sobs coming from the palace kitchen. They opened the door to find the princess in tears...peeling onions. The common  village 'good wife' had won the reward. 

You may think this pleasant story has no spiritual application, but...countless times in my life I've heard the admonition that as Christians we are supposed to be joyful--always--because we have a glorious God, a wonderful Savior, and the Holy Spirit for an intercessor. But sometimes life gives us onions, and while we may not spend our lives peeling onions, some days even the most cheeriest amongst us may have our moments of sadness, hurt, pain. The phrase 'we live in a fallen world', has a Biblical basis. Romans 8:22 "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

The whole creation is waiting for redemption.  We are to help the downtrodden, and one thing a person who is suffering doesn't need to hear is that all they need to do is cheer up.

Matthew 26:75 "And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." 

Peter wept bitterly over his sin and betrayal. There are times when we should weep bitterly as well. As long as we lay it before the Lord and leave it there. 

Luke 19:41 "And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,"

Jesus wept over the sins of Jerusalem, their hard unrepentant heart, and we should weep for those same things for our nation, and world.  

John 11:35 "Jesus wept."

All I know of this is that Jesus 'groaned' in His spirit. Was it his love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, or because of their lack of understanding, or something else? Maybe all three 

Ecclesiastes 3:1  "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:... 4)  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn..." 

Therefore, let us take to heart the following admonitions to help the helpless, weak, and poor amongst us. Be not high minded, we never know when it may be our turn.

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep."

James 5:13  "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14)  Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:" 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Compassion vs. Communism

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price...and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God. (Acts 5:1-4 ASV)

This is a lesson of a man and wife who sold property and wanted to look like they had given all of the money to the Apostles.  The husband first brought the money and pretended he gave the whole amount, Peter called chastised him on his lie and Ananias falls down dead; next the wife comes in and is asked if this was the amount paid them. Yes, she said, and the same thing happens to her, because of their lie to God. Their sin was not for keeping part of the money, but for LYING to God about it. As Peter said, "While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power?" Here's a secondary lesson in here.You can fool people sometimes, but you can never fool God. 

There is a rise in our country today lifting up 'socialism' as a shining example, and over the years some have used the early church, after Pentecost, and said it was socialistic.

Acts 2:43  "And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44)  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45)  and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. 46)  And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,"

This was a period of learning and growing in the fledgling church, but it wasn't a forever situation. The growing of the church in Jerusalem lasted until the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Act 8:2  "And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. 3)  But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison. 4)  They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word."

God doesn't condone socialism. Socialism is anti-God. Government replaces God, and becomes a god.

This passage in 2 Corinthians tells how we ought to give to God. Not as of necessity, but of willingness, because God loveth a cheerful giver. We ought  to care for those less fortunate as well, but not with a gun held to our head as happens under socialism.

2Corinthians 9:5  I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion. 6)  But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7)  Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

God does expect us to be compassionate on others who can't help themselves. It isn't compassion to encourage those who can work and take care of themselves and their own families to become idle and worthless.

1Timothy 5:8 "But if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."

The Apostle Paul informs the Thessalonians:

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 ASV)

Socialism tries to make everyone equal, but the equality only extends as far as misery; everyone is equally miserable.