Who Knows?

<p>According to Chinese legend, when Sai Weng lost one of his prized horses, his neighbor expressed sorrow for his loss. But Sai Weng was unconcerned. He said, &ldquo;Who knows if it may be a good thing for me?&rdquo; Surprisingly, the lost horse returned home with another horse. As the neighbor congratulated him, Sai Weng said, &ldquo;Who knows if it may be a bad thing for me?&rdquo; As it turned out, his son broke his leg when he rode on the new horse. This seemed like a misfortune, until the army arrived at the village to recruit all able-bodied men to fight in the war. Because the son&rsquo;s injury, he wasn&rsquo;t recruited which ultimately could have spared him from death.</p> <p>This is the story behind the Chinese proverb which teaches that a difficulty can be a blessing in disguise and vice versa. This ancient wisdom has a close parallel in Ecclesiastes 6:12, where the author observes: &ldquo;For who knows what is good for a person in life?&rdquo; Indeed, none of us know what the future holds. An adversity might have positive benefits and prosperity might have ill effects.</p> <p>Each day offers new opportunities, joys, struggles, and suffering. As God&rsquo;s beloved children, we can rest in His sovereignty and trust Him through the good and bad times alike. God has &ldquo;made the one as well as the other&rdquo; (7:14). He&rsquo;s with us in all the events in our lives and promises His loving care.</p>