Are You the Father of the World's Strongest Man?
For most men, the following story should sound vaguely familiar.
An angel announces the miracle of a coming child to the ears of a grateful barren woman. The now-expectant mother asks for details, and he gives instructions about how she is to behave while pregnant and how to rear the child once born. In her excitement she runs to her husband with the joyful news.
Details pour out of her mouth, there is no holding back, no vague suggestions, but she speaks verbatim as if each word of the angel was written on her heart.
What did the husband do?
He asks God to tell him what his wife just said.
God concedes, sends the angel, and the angel tells the man what his wife had said.
Several years, my wife and I were discussing food and self-control. She wisely stated that she tried to stop eating while a little hungry. I don't know where that morsel went when it hit my ear, but later when we reading St. Mark the Ascetic he offers similar advice as a weapon against gluttony. Of course, I proudly showed my new found discovery to my wife, and no sooner than the words left my mouth and her eyes hit mine, I remembered.
So the next time you proudly proclaim to your wife the wisdom you read in a book, or heard in a sermon, gleaned from a friend, or gathered from that bolt of inspiration inside your head, don't be surprised when she informs you of your conversation yesterday, last week, or perhaps over the last couple years when this nugget was offered by her freely.
At least we men have Biblical precedent for our thick-headedness! (Judges 13)
An angel announces the miracle of a coming child to the ears of a grateful barren woman. The now-expectant mother asks for details, and he gives instructions about how she is to behave while pregnant and how to rear the child once born. In her excitement she runs to her husband with the joyful news.
Details pour out of her mouth, there is no holding back, no vague suggestions, but she speaks verbatim as if each word of the angel was written on her heart. What did the husband do?
He asks God to tell him what his wife just said.
God concedes, sends the angel, and the angel tells the man what his wife had said.
Several years, my wife and I were discussing food and self-control. She wisely stated that she tried to stop eating while a little hungry. I don't know where that morsel went when it hit my ear, but later when we reading St. Mark the Ascetic he offers similar advice as a weapon against gluttony. Of course, I proudly showed my new found discovery to my wife, and no sooner than the words left my mouth and her eyes hit mine, I remembered.
So the next time you proudly proclaim to your wife the wisdom you read in a book, or heard in a sermon, gleaned from a friend, or gathered from that bolt of inspiration inside your head, don't be surprised when she informs you of your conversation yesterday, last week, or perhaps over the last couple years when this nugget was offered by her freely.
At least we men have Biblical precedent for our thick-headedness! (Judges 13)
Comments