Profitable remembering!

The story is told of a Persian shepherd who, because of his great devotion and faithfulness to his king, was promoted to the position of Prime Minister. [Perhaps that is where some modern countries should look!!!!]. The other ministers of state were angry that one with such a lowly origin should have been so highly honoured. They sought, therefore, to bring in some evil report that would place him in a position of disfavour. 

After having watched him closely for some time, they found nothing objectionable - apart from the fact that, once a week, he would enter a little room which he kept locked, and would shut himself away there for an hour.

The ministers informed their monarch of this, declaring that they were certain that the Prime Minister and former shepherd must be gathering there a secret hoard of his master's precious possessions. The king doubted their story, but felt obliged to grant them permission to break into, and search, the room. They did so - but all that they found there was a small bundle containing a dilapidated pair of shoes, and an old cloak.

The Prime Minister was brought before the king and asked to explain himself, and why he kept the items that had been found in the room. He replied: "I wore these things when I was a shepherd. I look at them regularly, lest I forget what I once was, and how unworthy I am of all of the kindness and honour that your majesty has bestowed upon me."

I cannot vouch for the veracity of that story - but it does have a lesson for all of us who claim to be disciples of the Lord Jesus. While we are encouraged, by the apostle Paul, to "[forget] what lies behind, and [strain] forward to what lies ahead, " (Phil.3:13), it is sometimes useful to recall what we once were, before "He drew [us] up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set [our] feet upon a rock, making [our] steps secure." (Ps.40:2). Remembering the depths from which we have been taken, should help us to appreciate the heights to which we have now been lifted in the Christ.

As beggars plucked out of abject poverty, we are permitted, through the grace of Almighty God, "... Who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses," to have been "made ... alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and [to have been] raised ... up with Him, and made [to] sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Eph.2:4-6).

Such remembering of our past will, surely, keep us both humble, and usable. That will be profitable remembering!