A woman went to the man of God to seek the way to heaven.

“You must follow the narrow and slippery path up the mountain, down the rocky side to the valley below, and then cross the river to paradise” he said. The woman turned to go, but he stopped her ‘You must also carry this cross for the distance’

The woman took up the cross. Up the narrow winding path she went. The cross was very heavy and soon she was sweating heavily. Halfway up the mountain she met a man with an axe.  She asked him to chop off the sides of her cross to lighten her load. “It still remains a cross,’ she thought.

Faster up the mountain she went and down to the valley below. She could just see the beautiful paradise on the other side. However, there was no bridge.  She realized that the cross was the bridge. She tried to put it across the river but it was not long enough, since she had shortened it. She fell into the raging waters and drowned.

A second woman went to the man of God to seek the way to heaven.

‘You must follow the narrow and slippery path up the mountain, down the rocky side to the valley below and then cross the river to paradise” he said.. The woman was just turning to go but he stopped her ‘You must also carry this cross for the distance’

Up the narrow winding path the second woman went. The cross was very heavy and soon she was sweating a great deal. Halfway up the mountain she met a man with a plane.  She asked him to plane off the thickness of her cross to lighten her load. “A cross is a cross,’ she thought.

Faster up the mountain she went and down to the valley. She could just see the beautiful paradise on the other side. However, there was no bridge.  She realized that the cross was the bridge. She put it across the river, it was just the right length from one side of the river to the other. Then she started to cross. However the cross snapped because it could not withstand her weight since she had lightened it. She fell into the raging waters and drowned.

A third woman went to the man of God to seek the way to heaven.

“You must follow the narrow and slippery path up the mountain, down the rocky side to the valley below and then cross the river to paradise. You must also carry this cross for the distance’ the man of God said.

Up the narrow winding path the second woman went. The cross was very heavy and soon she was sweating greatly. Halfway up the mountain she met a man with an axe.  “Do you want me to cut off the sides of your cross for you to make it lighter?” he asked her. “No thank you. I must carry the entire cross I was given” she said.

Further up she met the man with the plane.  “Can I trim the thickness of your cross for you to make it lighter?” asked the man. “No thank you” she said, “but I think I am meant to carry it as it is”.

Slowly up the mountain she went and slowly and carefully down the rocky side to the valley. She could just see the beautiful paradise on the other side. However, there was no bridge.  She realized that the cross was the bridge.  It was just the right length to cross from one side of the river to the other, and the right thickness to carry her weight. She put it down across the river and walked to the other side.

“You are a trusting and faithful servant, “said the Lord. You have traveled the distance and kept the faith.”

This article first appeared in the September-October 2009 issue of Woman of Faith magazine.

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