Tommy Mann

The North Wind and the Sun T HE  W IND  and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger You begin.” So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair.  Then the Sun came out. At first he beamed gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders. He then shone forth with his full strength, and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on, and was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad. The moral of this story, according to Aesop, is persuasio

Aesop is believed to have been a Greek slave who lived around 620-560 BC. A gifted storyteller, Aesop wrote a collection of fables that have been translated and preserved for centuries. Today children read his stories, and adults use his analogies. We tell stories about the tortoise and the hare, and we refer to a golden goose or a wolf in sheep’s clothing because of the fables of Aesop. I don’t believe Aesop was what we consider Christian (he lived before the term Christian was coined) because he referred to Greek gods such as Mercury and Jupiter in his fables. So without trying to deify Aesop, I believe we can learn valuable Christian lessons from his fables. This series is called Aesop’s Faithfuls—I will post fables as they are, then give a quick truth that we can apply today. Whether you are six or 86, I hope you enjoy this series reading or re-reading some classic literature.

Question: How many persons are in the one God? Answer: Three persons are in the one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance and equal in power and glory. The three Persons of the Godhead are known collectively as the Trinity. Some will argue against the concept of the Trinity since that precise word does not appear in the Bible, but that is not enough reason to throw it out. The idea of God existing as the Trinity is biblical. Consider how Paul mentioned all three members together in 2 Corinthians 13:14: “ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Jesus grouped Himself together with the Father and Spirit when He gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, which says, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” At the baptism of Jesus all three Persons are present again. Not only is Jesus on the scen

Question: Is there more than one God? Answer: There is only one, the living and true God. There are many gods in the world. If there was only one God, then why would God begin the 10 Commandments by saying, “You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3)?” There are several gods listed in the Bible: Baal, Molech, and Asherah, to name a few. Today we see gods named Allah and Brahman; in mythology we read about gods named Zeus and Osiris; pantheists believe that god is in all of nature. Atheists live for themselves, making themselves the god of their lives. Today people make their jobs, hobbies, possessions, and other temporary things their gods. While there are many gods, there is only one living and true God. The word god means “ruler,” and there is really only one Ruler, and that is the God of the Bible, whose name is Yahweh. These other gods are not real deities; their only power exists in the minds of their followers. Zeus and Osiris o