Picture of peace

11/2/09

Once two artists came to a King's palace. They knew that King himself was an artist and sincerely encouraged all aspects of art and literature. They wanted to paint some pictures for the King. King asked both of them to paint a picture depicting PEACE.

After a week both of them brought their imagination of peace on canvas. One was a serene picture of a calm lake. All the trees and mountains around the lake reflected so beautifully in the lake and it was like a paradise filled with peace and beauty on earth. Sky was blue and a few doves, symbols of peace were flying towards the mountain.

The other one was also a picture of a lake, but very different. Mountains around the lake were bear and the sky was dark and could see streaks of lightning prompting the clouds to shower mercilessly. There was a water-fall on one side of the mountain and thorny bushes adorned both sides of the rushing muddy water . King looked one more time carefully to unveil the artist's imagination and he saw a small nest on the bush and a mother bird was sitting peacefully inside with her little baby.

King awarded the first prize to the second picture. Why? Here is the explanation of the King: 

"Peace is a state of tranquility experienced even in the middle of noise, impending danger, troubles etc. Peace does not mean to be in a quiet and beautiful place with nothing going on. In spite of the thorny bushes around her, in spite of the muddy water fall rushing by her side, in spite of the lightning and the noise of thunder, the mother bird is at peace with herself and spreads the feeling of peace to her baby. This tells how we humans should find peace in the midst of roaring problems around us. We should see the streaks of lightning as a light provided by Lord to wade through the darkness to reach a state of eternal peace."

May Lord enlighten us to sail from unrest to peace and towards eternal peace using the life- boat provided by Him.