March 29, 2004
Knowing Generosity
Story time!!!
Once, in very early times when there were only immortal gods and no mortal beings in the world, it occured to the immortals that they might create such beings as to inhabit the earth. When this was done, Zeus ordered Prometheus and Epimetheus to endow the creatures of the earth with gifts and powers. Epimetheus asked his brother if he could share out the gifts of the gods. He bestowed beauty on one animal, strength on another, agility to counterbalance another's smallness, intelligence to offset yet another's bulk. And so Epimetheus went on giving out, decorating and sharing - yet he lacked the wisdom of his brother, for he gave all his gifts and weapons to the members of the animal kingdom and left man last, bare and defenseless, with no natural weapons.
Prometheus, the friend of man, stole wisdom from Athena and gave man reason, to square the balance. Then he stole fire from the forge of Hephaestos and gave it to man as a gift. Since then man has had fire to keep himself warm and alive, and to help him create. Prometheus became the protector of the human race, and taught it all he knew. But this angered Zeus who (catch this next part) did not want mankind to be helped to resemble the gods. And when he discovered that Prometheus had given man fire, he unleashed his thunder and lightning: until that time, fire had been reserved for the gods. Zeus chained him to a peak in the Caucasus, at the end of the world, where every day an eagle swooped down and pecked out his liver. During the night it would grow back, but the eagle would return the next day and he would undergo the torment again. Thirty years would pass before Heracles released Prometheus from this ordeal.
taken from: Greek Mythology...a book I got in Greece...
Ok, now here's another story:
The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burnt incense on the high places.
The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
The LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies, but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both riches and honor - so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my standards as David your father did, I will give you a long life." Then Solomon awoke - and he realized it had been a dream.
Did you catch the differences in the stories? What makes our God different? Generosity. Unlike Zeus, who punished Prometheus for giving man what they did not have, God gave Solomon everything he asked for and more. Wow. But you know what's even better? He'll give us what we need and more too, if we just ask him.
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