395- Abraham, his Son and his Donkey

After supper, the little boy Tony said to his father, “I want to go to bed. Come with me and read for me from the Bible.”

The father went to Tony's room, explained to him in a simple manner the meaning of the read part of the Bible. Then, they prayed.

Father said to his son, “I see that you aren’t happy, why? I always enjoy seeing you smiling.”

“I’m upset Dad.”

“Why?”

“I’m puzzled; I don’t know how to please my friends at school. Whenever I do something, one of them criticizes me.”

“Tony, don’t be upset. Before doing something ask God's guidance. You can also ask someone with more experience like one of your parents, your father confessor or your teacher.”

“And what should I do with those who criticize me with no obvious reason?”

“Remember the verse by St Paul,

"If I were still trying to please men, I would not be servant of Christ" (Gal. 1.10).”

“But I live among people, how can I not please them?”

“Have you heard the story of Abraham, his son and his donkey?”

“No dad.”

“I’ll tell you the story:

Abraham wanted to sell his donkey. He was an old man (75 years) he had only one son who was 15 years old. The son asked Abraham, “What should we do dad?”

“Let’s carry the donkey.”

On the way, some young people saw them so they mocked at them. One of them said “Do you ride the donkey or the donkey rides you people. Do you teach your son stupidity?”

Abraham said to himself, “I think it’s stupid. Let’s ride the donkey, the two of us.”

A friend saw them and said to Abraham, “You’ve no mercy; you and your son ride this poor donkey. Stop this cruelty.”

So Abraham let his son ride the donkey while Abraham walked. Passing by Abraham’s brother, he was mad and said to his nephew, “You ride the donkey and poor old dad walks! Get off and let your father ride the donkey.”

Few minutes later, a group of young ladies saw what happened. They said, “How come you ride and the poor little boy walks?”

At last after examining the situation they decided to both walk and drag the donkey along. Shortly after that, Sam, Tony’s friend saw them and said to them cruelly, “What are you doing? Why not riding the donkey? Did the donkey complain? Wasn’t it created for us to ride on?”

Abraham did not know what to do. They decided not to please people, but what was acceptable to God they did.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: برهوم وابنه وحماره.

+Teach me lord not to pay attention to please people,

 But to please You.

 You are the Wisdom, Giver of understanding.

 You are the Leader, the Way and the Truth.

 I shall have You in my heart,

 Guided by Your Holy Spirit.

Gold Mines

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

It’s Worth Taking a Photo