Which ever type of media you subscribe to the same topic seems to dominate the message, it's the economy stupid! For every opinion out there on the subject we find a new mystery unraveled. Being the lemming that I am, I too must follow the lead of all the prognosticators who would have you believe that they hold the answer to the question of the year.
While Nostradamus has earned himself quite a good reputation, I am bold enough to take my place on the world stage and proclaim what little wisdom has found its way into my cranium. The state of the world in the 21st century can be summed up in the knowledge of a wheat farmer during the harvest. I am reminded of a story about wheat farming that was shared with me several years ago. The author of the story is unknown to me so I share it with you without taking any credit other than remembering the message.
The question was presented to me,"do you know when it's time to harvest wheat?" Like many of you, I was not familiar with the telltale sign. For those of you who do know the answer, please do not shout it out and render my story useless to the other readers. And so the storyteller continued, "wheat grows as a shaft with a spear like head that points towards the heavens.
As the wheat grows tall the farmer looks for one sign that without fail announces the harvesting time. When the head of the wheat gains enough weight to cause it to bow, then the crop is ready for harvest." The storyteller was standing next to me when he explained the process. The visual of his clasped hands folded together in prayer and pointed to the sky was very demonstrative. When he ever so slightly allowed the point of his fingers to tilt towards the earth then did I get the full picture of the harvest.
What pray tell does this have to with the state of our economy? I'm glad you asked. Not just here in the United States but in many nations around the world we have enjoyed unprecedented financial growth. We have seen our standard of living exceed our wildest dreams. And in the midst of it all, we have believed that it was all of our own doing. In essence, we have walked the earth with our heads held high thumping our chests and proclaiming our personal victory. Just as the wheat farmer has repeated the process of planting and harvesting, the process of nations growing in stature is not new. The history books are full of stories of greatness that does not last.
Back to the point of the message. What is going on in our economy here and around the world? We are in the midst of a great harvest. It is only when we are humbled to the point of recognizing where all of our blessings originate that we can truely appreciate their value. This is a time for great joy because the Farmer has recognized the time of harvest and for every head bowed there is a place in His storeroom.
