Diamonds in the back yard
Relationship Evangelism
There is an old story told about a man by the name of Ali Facid. He had a
small farm and a family. One day, the story goes, a Buddhist priest came by
and said to Ali Facid: You know, there are valuable stones called diamonds,
and if you get one of these you could be a wealthy man." Ali Facid went to
bed that night, but the words of the old priest haunted him. He was so
obsessed that he felt that he must find him one of these diamonds so that he
could become a ruler. He sold his farm, put his family out to neighbors and
went out to find his acres of diamonds. Months passed. He was broken in body
and spirit. His funds were gone. And at the Bay of Barcelona, he threw
himself into the water, never to walk this earth again.
Meanwhile, the man who bought his farm bent over one day and picked up a
little stone. He laid on the mantle that night not knowing what it was. A
few days later the old Buddhist priest cam by and saw it and exclaimed: Ali
Facid must be back from his search. No, came the response. Then where did
that diamond come from? The farmer replied: I was out plowing in the garden
and found it there. And friends, did you know that from that very garden,
for this is not a legend but a true story, came the jewels and diamonds that
today adorn the crown heads of Europe and Russia. In Ali Facid's own back
yard there were acres of diamonds and he knew it not.