The Master & The Camel

Miracles are not Mirages

A Good Master found a wandering Camel. The Camel was undernourished and looked unloved. And most of all it looked lost. From the marks on the Camel the Good Master could tell that the poor lost Camel’s previous master had been cruel. The Good Master looked the Camel over and could only see the good traits in this pitiful beast even though the camel was in very poor condition. The Master thought to him self: “This camel will make a good servant and I will feed it and nourish it and soon I will have a good servant and the servant will have a purpose in life besides wandering through the desert lost.” Day by day the Good Master nursed and loved the Camel back to health. Soon the Camel felt better than he had ever felt but he still felt somewhat unsure of himself. After a time the Good master began to train the Camel. At first the Camel didn’t like the idea of someone leading him around all day. There was some good that the Camel could see: The Good Master knew where all of the healthy watering holes were and he knew where the right kind of nourishing food was stored. And the Master never yelled, but whispered. The Camel began seeing the benefit of cooperating in this training even though he couldn’t see where it was leading him. The Master taught him how to go without drinking for increasing longer distances, no more than one day though. That seemed like a long time but he began to get used to it.

The Master Never Gave Him
More Than He Could Carry

One morning the Good Master woke the Camel early and brought him to a place where there was a load of supplies. The Good Master knelt the Camel down and placed the appropriate load on his new servants back. At first the Camel thought that he could never carry all of that load but the Good Master knew he was now strong enough to carry the small load that looked so big to the Camel. They started out into the desert as usual and as they went along the Good Master showed him many things. Things that the Camel had not noticed before. And so it went.

The Master’s Voice

The Master whispered to the Camel one day that his own Father had taught him all of these things and now it was up to him to teach the Camel how to be of service and to live properly. The Camel began to love the Master’s quiet voice. That night the Good Master brought the Camel over to a nice rest area and knelt the Camel down and removed its load. The Camel was grateful that the load had been removed and soon after a good meal and fresh water, he fell off to sleep.

Bright and early the next morning The Master awakened the Camel. The Camel was grumpy. Hadn’t I done enough the Camel thought. I’ve carried the huge load all day and now I have to carry it again today. The Good Master only smiled and patted the Camel on the back and said that the tiredness would pass soon and he would not even notice it later on in their journey. Just as the Master said, the day went by and he had forgotten all about the load and being so tired that morning and the Good Master had shown him such wonderful things along the way. How had he missed all of the beauty around him for so long?

The Purpose

Night was coming soon and he looked forward to the rest. This time, however, the Camel noticed that they were entering a town much like his own town that now seemed so far away. As he went in he noticed that many were gathered. They looked so happy to see the Good Master and even though they didn’t know the Camel, they treated him just as the Good Master treated him. Some of the group members were glad to get the food and supplies that were brought. The Camel noticed that some of them looked as he had when the Good Master had found him. The Camel felt some pride in being of service to these good folks, especially the ones that looked so lost. The Camel thought: My, how my life has changed since I met the Good Master and just look at all of the friends I have had and didn’t even know I had them until I was saved from my wandering.

That night, as before, the load was removed and the next morning the Camel awoke by himself without the Masters assistance. The Camel was surprised at himself. The next surprise came to the Camel when he noticed that he was kneeling before the Master & waited for the proper load to be placed on his back. This was OK now and it was so automatic and seemed second nature to him . He smiled to himself, he even looked forward to carrying the load that day.

Never Alone

Later in the afternoon as they journeyed together the Master leaned close to the Camel and hugged him, patted him on the back, and said: You have become a good servant. You know the way now and you know where the nourishing waters flow and you can go without a drink for 24 hours.

Now, go, my Good and Trusted Servant and bring food and supplies and nourishing waters to the many friends that you haven’t met yet. They need what you have and you may now teach others to do the same. If you do get off the path, just call my name and I will be that still and small voice you hear to guide you.

In Sobriety,

KJ NIVIN. 04 Aug 1999

The Master & The Camel is a story of recovery - spirituality - about sponsorship, prayer, Higher Power, and passing the message of recovery on to others so they can do the same. This is how my Higher Power (God As I Understand God) found me and brought me back to life by allowing me to be sponsored through the 12 Steps and made me useful.