© 2009 Max Masotti
© 2009 French-speaking Association of Readers of the Urantia Book
I know how to sleep when the wind blows at night!
A farmer, very unhappy with the work done by one of his servants, went to the fair to look for a replacement. There he met a young man, a little awkward and simple-looking.
The farmer continued his search, but found no one. Several times, he saw Jean again and each time he gave him the same strange answer: “I know how to sleep when the wind blows at night.”
Late that afternoon, the farmer made his decision. Finding that John’s eyes reflected honesty, he said to him: “You are certainly a funny number as a farmhand, but I am hiring you. We will see what you are capable of.”
Jean worked for several weeks without anyone noticing his work. Which is not surprising in itself because work well done often goes unnoticed. It is only when something is not going well that we pay attention to it.
Then one night the wind began to drive huge clouds before it. It drew its strength from the hills, roared through the forest, pounded buildings and slammed into haystacks, howling in the chimneys. When the farmer heard the wind, he sat up in bed; he knew that wind well. Several times already it had torn off the doors of his stables, scattered his hay and overturned his chicken coops. He called John who was sleeping in the attic. He howled louder than the wind, but no one answered him.
Finally, with great strides he went up to shake him. “Jean! Jean! Get up. The storm is going to take everything away.” Nothing to do, Jean was sleeping soundly. He went out alone in the storm already expecting the worst. Well no, on the contrary, he saw the stable doors firmly barricaded, the horses tied up, safe, the windows blocked and the livestock lying quietly in the manger. He also found the haystacks well secured by tarpaulins attached by large ropes fixed to stakes driven deep into the ground. The pigsty was intact and the chicken coops in place despite the storm that was raging with rage.
Then he burst out laughing. He had finally understood John’s words. The Master has given us enough advice to allow us to enter into his rest.
So, happy is the man who can say: “I have learned to sleep when the wind blows at night.”
Max Masotti