The Legend of the Cherokee Indian Youth's Rite of Passage

I received the following story by email. I thought that we all can learn from the moral of the story as one said, "Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there."

Do you know the legend of the
Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him
and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump
the whole night and not remove the blindfold until
the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He
cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this
experience, because each lad must come
into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all
kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be
all around him. Maybe even some human
might do him harm. The wind blew the
grass and earth, and shook his stump, but
he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.
It would be the only way he could become
a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared
and he removed his blindfold.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this
experience, because each lad must come
into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all
kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be
all around him. Maybe even some human
might do him harm. The wind blew the
grass and earth, and shook his stump, but
he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.
It would be the only way he could become
a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared
and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting
on the stump next to him.

He had been at watch the entire night, protecting
his son from harm..

We, too, are never alone.

Even when we don't know it, God is watching
over us, sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach
out to Him.

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."