An old Chinese parable talks about a farmer who had worked his crops for many years and raised his son on the farm. One day, his only horse broke free from the barn and ran away.

His neighbor, upon hearing the news, said, “I’m sorry for your bad luck. You must be sad.”

The farmer replies, “We’ll see.”

A few days later, his horse returns to the farm along with two wild horses that had befriended his domesticated one. The farmer and his son were able to secure the wild horses, and all three seemed happy in the barn and with the food they provided. His neighbor, upon hearing the news, said, “I can’t believe your good luck. Now you have three horses! Think of the work you can get done! You must be thrilled.”

The farmer replies, “We’ll see.”

A few days later, his son is working to tame one of the wild horses. He is thrown from the saddle and breaks his leg. A local doctor resets it, but it will be weeks before his son can work again. His neighbor, upon hearing the news, said, “I’m sorry for your son’s bad luck. You must be sad.”

The farmer replies, “We’ll see.”

A few days later, military officers arrived at the small town to begin conscripting young men in the community into the army—there was no choice in the matter. When they arrive at the farm and see the son’s broken leg, they move on to the next farm. His neighbor, upon hearing the news, said, “I can’t believe your good luck. You get to keep your son, who will be working on the farm again in a couple of months. You must be thrilled.”

The farmer smiles and replies once again, “We’ll see.”

I love this parable because it reminds me that my life is never defined by my circumstances. Good things and bad things happen to us all. They don’t define us—unless we allow them to do so. With every good opportunity, we have the choice to utilize it or to waste it. With every bad situation, we have the choice to rise to the occasion or to allow it to determine our future. We always have a choice—even if it’s making the best of a bad situation.

~ Dr. Tim Moore