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The Love of Two Brothers

Published January 14, 2005
Countries: Israel, Palestine
Age Levels: 7-8 and up

Once two brothers shared a large farm.  One brother was married and had several children.  The other was single and lived alone.  They shared the work equally, and they shared the fruits of the harvest equally as well.  But, each had his own home, and each had his own barn.

One year, the harvest was so good that each brother's barn was filled to the top with the harvest that God had given them.

One night, soon after the harvest, the older of the two brothers said, "My poor younger brother.  He has to feed his wife and children.  It is not fair that he and I each get the same amount of the harvest.  He needs the grain more than I."  That very night, he took a sack of grain from his own barn and walked across the fields to put it into the barn of his brother.

That very same night, the younger brother said to himself, "My poor older brother.  He has no family to take care of him.  When he gets old, he will have no one to help him with his work and to help feed him.  It is not fair that we each get the same amount of the harvest.  He needs the gran more than I."  He also took a sack of grain from his own barn and walked across the fields to put it into his brother's barn.

Imagine the surprise of each brother when the next morning came.  Each gave away a sack of grain.  Yet each had the same amount left the next morning as he had the night before.

Night after night, the brothers crossed the fields, with a gift of love for each other.  God must have smiled at the love and respect the two showed each other.

Then one night, the moon shined brightly.  As the two brothers crossed the fields, each saw the other.  They dropped their loads and ran to embrace each other.

It is said that very spot where the two embraced that night was where the great temple was built in Jerusalem. 

Dr. Mike Lockett is an educator, storyteller and children's author from Normal, IL. Dr. Lockett has given more than 4000 programs across the USA and as far away as eastern Asia. Contact Mike by writing to Mike@mikelockett.com in order to book him for a storytelling program or young authors program or to inquire about purchasing his books and CDs.  Mike gived programs in schools, libraries, churches and organizations.  More stories and information about storytelling can be found at www.mikelockett.com