Indian Rite of Passage

(Devotional)
 Indian Rite of Passage

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee

Indian youth's rite of passage? His dad
would take him into the forest. The boy
would be blindfolded and left alone. He
was required to sit on a stump the whole
night and not take off the blindfold until the
sun’s rays shone through it.
 Indian Rite of Passage

He was all by himself. He was not

allowed to cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survived the night he was
considered a MAN.
He was forbidden from telling the other
boys of this experience. Each lad must
come into his own manhood by himself.
 Indian Rite of Passage

The boy would be terrified. He could hear

all kinds of noises all around him.
Beasts were all around him as well.
Additionally, it was possible that maybe
even some human would come by during
the night and hurt him.
The wind blew the grass upon the earth
as it shook his stump.
 Indian Rite of Passage
But the youth would remain sitting
stoically still, never removing the blindfold.
Remaining there would be the only way
he could be a man.
Finally, after a horrific night all alone, the
sun appeared. He could now remove his
blindfold. It was only at that moment that
he would see his father sitting quietly on
the stump next to him, watching silently all
through the entire night.
 Indian Rite of Passage
In a like manner, we as Christians are
never alone. Even when we do not know
it, our Father is protecting us. He is sitting
on the stump right beside us. All we have
to do is reach out to Him.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 just before
leaving the apostles, “I am with you
always, even unto the end of the
world.”
 Indian Rite of Passage

Jesus also said that whatever we do to

any of His brothers or sisters, we do unto
Him when He said, “Verily I say unto
you, inasmuch as ye did it unto one of
these My brethren, even these least, ye
did it unto Me.” (Matthew 25:40)
 Indian Rite of Passage

So let’s remember to take every

opportunity that comes our way to do what
we can to help others in need. James
wrote, “To him therefore that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin.” (James 4:17)
 Indian Rite of Passage

And Paul wrote to the Galatians, “So

then, as we have opportunity, let us
work that which is good toward all
men, and especially toward them that
are of the household of the faith.”
(Galatians 6:10)
 Indian Rite of Passage

By doing such we will fulfill the law of

Christ: “Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
(Galatians 6:2) It will also distinguish us
as Christians: “By this shall all men
know that ye are My disciples, if ye
have love one to another.” (John 13:35)