A Persian Proverb

Shoot straight—Ride a horse—Tell the truth. So runs an old Persian proverb. Can you learn anything from this proverb?

1. "SHOOT STRAIGHT." To do this we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on the object or target. Every boy and girl should have a "target," an object, always in view, called in the Bible a "goal." Our "goal" should be a high ideal, a noble purpose. We should aim as high as possible. The "goal" that St. Paul had in view was the fadeless crown, which our Heavenly Father will give to all who "have kept the faith," "fought a good fight," and "run the straight race." In short, have faithfully served and followed Him.
   
   
2. "RIDE A HORSE." This needs confidence and determination. The horse may run away with us if we are unable to control it. We need to ask God to so help us that we may have control of the horses of passion, appetite, pride, etc. If these are not controlled, they will run away with us, and at last "throw" us, and we shall suffer a terrible fall. O, how much we need our Father's help to keep these "horses" in control.
   
   
3. "TELL the TRUTH." The best people are those whose "word is their bond," and can be always trusted. Truthfulness is true nobility. We may be able to deceive other people with an untruth, but we cannot deceive God. He reads our hearts and thoughts. One day a boy and girl were sent by their mother to their grandmother, with a basket full of tasty pasties and lovely cakes for the old lady. On the way the girl lifted the cover, and she and her brother had a good look at the nice things in the basket. "How fine they look," said the boy. "What a lot there are. Shall we have one each?" "Mother did not count them, and grandma does not know how many were put in." At first the girl agreed, but as she was about to take one of the cakes, a thought suddenly came to her, and looking very seriously at her brother she said: "But cannot God count?" The cover of the basket was closed, and grandmother received the whole of the contents of the basket.
   
   When the boy and girl said their prayers that night they felt much happier than they would have done had they deceived their mother. How valuable a thing is truth! Let us pray that we may always be willing to follow Him who is "The Truth."