The story is about a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with his life and position. He envied a merchant, then an official, then the sun, cloud, wind, and rock - wishing he could be each of them. Each time he became that entity, he still found no satisfaction and envied something more powerful. Finally, he became the rock, but then saw a stone cutter chipping away at him with a hammer. He realized the stone cutter was more powerful for having the ability to shape even the rock. The moral is to be content with who you are and what you have rather than constantly envying others.

1. LOOKING INTO
YOURSELF
• Read the story.
• While you go through the paragraphs,
envision what the moral of this story
is.

3. • The Stone Cutter
• This story will really make you think about where you are
in life and where you wish you were. Maybe where you
are right now is exactly where you're meant to be.

4. •
There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself
and with his position in life.
One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the
open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important
visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the
stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be
like the merchant.

5. • To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying
more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied
and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high
official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by
attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no
matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How
powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high
official!"

6. • Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his
embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all
around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very
uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun.
It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How
powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"

7. • Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone,
scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a
huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his
light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful
that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

8. • Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages,
shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being
pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the
wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the
wind!"

9. • Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses,
uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a
while, he ran up against something that would not move, no
matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock.
"How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a
rock!"

10. • Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on
earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer
pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being
changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he
thought.
He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone
cutter.

11. WHAT NEGATIVE PATTERNS CAN YOU FIND
OUT IN THIS STORY?
Discontent with
his life
01
Comparing
himself to others
02
Envying what
they have or
what they are
03
Wishing others
position or
power
04
Finding no
satisfaction at
all
05

12. • Be grateful with what you have and what you are!
• God created you with a purpose in His mind.
• Right were you are He is preparing you for the next stage.
• While you are there, strive to do your best.
• What scriptures come to your mind?

13. COLOSSIANS 3:22-24NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION - UK (NIVUK)
• 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it,
not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour,
but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the
Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you
know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

14. 1 PETER 5:4-7THE MESSAGE (MSG)
• 4-5 When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open
with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you
lavishly. And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of
you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each
other, for—
• God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people.
• 6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong
hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before
God; he is most careful with you.

15. •Let’s try another story.

16. •Can you share
some ten
ways of how
God speaks
TO YOU?

17. BE STILL WITH GOD
• All day long I had been very busy; picking up trash, cleaning
bathrooms and scrubbing floors. My grown children were
coming home for the weekend. I went grocery shopping and
prepared for a barbecue supper, complete with ribs and chicken.
I wanted everything to be perfect.

18. • Suddenly, it dawned on me that I was dog-tired. I simply couldn't
work as long as I could when I was younger. "I've got to rest for a
minute," I told my husband, Roy, as I collapsed into my favorite
rocking chair. Music was playing, my dog and cat were chasing
each other and the telephone rang.

19. • A scripture from Psalm 46 popped into my mind. "Be still, and
know that I am God." I realized that I hadn't spent much time in
prayer that day. Was I too busy to even utter a simple word of
thanks to God? Suddenly, the thought of my beautiful patio came
to mind. I can be quiet out there, I thought. I longed for a few
minutes alone with God.

20. • Roy and I had invested a great deal of time and work in the patio
that spring. The flowers and hanging baskets were breathtaking. It
was definitely a heavenly place of rest and tranquility. If I can't be
still with God in that environment, I can't be still with Him
anywhere, I thought. While Roy was talking on the telephone, I
slipped out the backdoor and sat down on my favorite patio chair.
I closed my eyes and began to pray, counting my many blessings.

21. • Again, I bowed in prayer. "Honk, honk," I heard. I almost jumped
out of my skin. A neighbor was driving down the street. He waved
at me and smiled. I waved back, happy that he cared. I quickly
tried once again to settle down, repeating the familiar verse in my
mind. Be still and know that I am God.
• "I'm trying God. I really am," I whispered. "But you've got to help
me here."

22. • The backdoor opened. My husband walked outside. "I love you,"
he said. "I was wondering where you were." I chuckled, as he came
over and kissed me, then turned around and went back inside.

23. • "Where's the quiet time?" I asked God. My heart fluttered. There
was no pain, only a beat that interrupted me yet again. This is
impossible, I thought. There's no time to be still and to know that
God is with me. There's too much going on in the world and
entirely too much activity all around me.

24. • Then it suddenly dawned on me. God was speaking to me the
entire time I was attempting to be still. I remembered the music
playing as I'd begun my quiet time. He sent a sparrow to lighten
my life with song. He sent a gentle breeze. He sent a neighbor to
let me know that I had a friend. He sent my sweetheart to offer
sincere sentiments of love. He caused my heart to flutter to
remind me of life. While I was trying to count my blessings, God
was busy multiplying them.

25. • Prayer is an interaction with God.
• There are many ways of praying.
• Many books will teach you the right way how to pray.
• But only you can find the best way to communicate with Him
• A simple though to god is a prayer.
• Let your religious definition of prayer aside, and enjoy God’s companionship in
everything you do and everywhere you are.
• Just talk to Him in a simple way and grant Him the opportunity to reply to you.
• He cares for you 24/7.

26. • Pictures and stories taken from the internet.
• Next week Wednesday April 28th will be our last class of this Semester.
• We’ll have a simple closing potluck.
• Come let’s have some good moments of fellowship.
• I’m so proud of all of you, God has blessed me extremely giving me the opportunity
to share with you in this semester.