We all need to learn to relax in the midst of busy days. People often imagine that all that theological students at the Bible School do every day is to pray and read the Bible. They have no time for relaxation and fun or they do not know how. Actually it is not so. God does not only want us to know Him and to serve Him, but also to learn to enjoy Him. Not long ago, a few theological students decided to meet at my house to help me take care of my coconut trees. Really though, they were craving the coconut water when they saw the ripe coconuts on the trees.
Hence on a beautiful Saturday morning, the students began coming in twos and threes. To start off, one young man plucked a coconut that was very near to the ground. He picked up a cleaver, hacked at the coconut a few times, and coconut water began pouring out of the coconut, sparkling and clear. Then another student came along, helping him to pull down coconuts for him to open. Soon, the students were working in a very efficient manner, one student opened the coconut, another student poured the coconut water into a container, and yet another used a spoon to remove the soft coconut flesh. In this way, with everyone’s cooperation, within an hour two large containers were filled to the brim with tasty sweet coconut water and flesh. The young man who started off using the knife was beginning to tire, so another one took his place. Left-handed, his movements were quick and clean. In one fell swoop, another coconut was opened. Everyone cheered at the display of his skills with the knife.
Afterwards, a female student also wanted to experience opening a coconut, so she picked one up and began hacking away at it. But despite the many ‘wounds’ on the coconut, it refused to give up its precious contents. Finally after much difficulty, the coconut water began seeping out. The girl gulped it all down, then thought about eating the coconut flesh. But no matter how she tried, it wouldn’t open. In the end even the knife was stuck in the coconut shell and she could not pull it out. At the sight of this, everyone burst out laughing.
The grand finale belonged to a more experienced student. In his younger days he was a farmer. The other students affectionately called him ‘big brother’. Looking at all these young ones, more used to holding smartphones and facing computer screens, what did they know about opening coconuts? So he decided to step in. Fast and accurate, each stroke hit the exact spot on the coconut, one stroke for one coconut, never a second.
That day, standing under the shade of the coconut trees, we drank and laughed to our fill. It was indeed a morning of enjoying God.