The Man With Three Huts

I heard a story about a man who was stranded on an island for some years and when he was rescued they found that he built three huts. The rescuers asked him why he built three huts. The man replied, "The first one is my home and the second one is my church." "But what about the third one?" they asked. He said, "Oh, that was my old church."

Even we can get sick of our selves sometimes. My friend told me about this American friend of hers who sold all that he had to move to China. He sold his flat in New York, his car and all that he owned to start a new life half across the world in Beijing. She tells me that he is always complaining about the people in Beijing and from all over the world. He travelled all over Europe and couldn't be satisfied where he was. The reason he moved, he says, is that he was sick of the people. He has no friends, he moved to Beijing for a girl, and after two years they broke up because he was complaining too much and unpleasant to be around. Today he still lives in Beijing.

No matter where this man lives, he will always be unhappy. The reason I am sharing this story is because it has great irony to why he is really unhappy. Like the man with the three huts, this former New Yorker moves to the next hut when he finds something he doesn't like, and he focuses on that and magnifies it to the point that he blame it for his unhappiness on that instead of himself.

A lot of people ten to hold onto something that they don't like about themselves. That builds into hatred. They have problems with other people. They can't have a good relationship with anyone unless that person is absolutely opposite of them. They are afraid to confess their sin with someone else, afraid that they may be exposed for who they really are.

Have you every noticed that most people would remember you for something you did in the past a long time ago and they would just look at you as that person? They identify you for what you had done. A person might remember something you did when you were eighteen and label you that way.

Instead we should look at a person for who they are, and not what they have done.

The world needs us to be examples of Jesus. Though many unbelievers will tell us that Christians are the problem why they won't believe in Him. We all come short of displaying God's love or even loving God back whole heartedly. We get angry at the ones who we see ourselves in, and we keep inside the lies. Satan loves it when we keep our secrets and lies inside because a lie will grow inside where no one can see and eventually spawn up hate. We must confess our sins to each other and not be afraid of exposing our true selves. We are not perfect. When we share our sins with each other, the weight will be lifted off and we can enjoy God's love. The freedom from the guilt and shame by confessing to each other will not only bring you so much joy and peace, but your sins will be crushed, and your relationships will grow. This is how we can train ourselves to be more in the likeness of Jesus.