Do you know what the monkey's most precious thing is? The secret he never tells anyone? That part of his heart that he never opens to anyone? Do you know it? Well, it's that the monkey can climb any tree. What makes him such a good climber is the secret that he has not revealed to anyone until now. He keeps it well, very well. There is even a saying that if the monkey is your friend, your stick will never stay in a tree, because the monkey will take it away. No four-legged animal can boast of being so good at climbing. All good ripe fruit is within the reach of Mr. Monkey. The beautiful bushy foliage is his resting place. The dog cannot reach him when he is up in his tree. He laughs at everything, the monkey. Ah, what you wouldn't give, I'm sure, to know the secret of the monkey!

Now every day, under the hot sun of the dry season, the goat used to walk in the bushes. He was always hungry, needless to say. The bushes were dried up. In the savannah the grass had completely disappeared. Every day the goat had to struggle hard to find something to survive on. And every day it was more difficult. The goat wondered what would happen to him before the first rains came. However, despite all the dryness, there were big trees with big green leaves down by the river. Ah, the tender, fresh leaves, thought the goat. If only I could climb up there, I'd enjoy it and be much bigger. Every time the goat came to a place where he could see those big green leaves swaying gracefully, he swallowed his saliva and wished he were a goat. Then he would return home sad and disappointed as if he had taken an exam and failed. But then one day, while he was admiring the tender leaves, he saw someone moving among the leaves, jumping from one branch to another, with the greatest ease in the world. Sometimes the mysterious figure even let himself swing, with his feet hanging from a branch.

- Say," said the goat, "that's not possible! Who can climb so well?

He looked carefully and discovered the monkey.

- Hello friend, said the goat, who are you?

- Hello dear! I am Monkey!

- Will you come down so that we can really meet? I want to be your friend. I am Cabri. I come from the next village.

The monkey came down as easily as he had come up. He waved to the goat, who did not take his eyes off him, so amazed was he to see someone so well up a tree. If only, thought the goat, I could climb trees like him! He must surely have a secret. A secret that nobody else knows. The secret of climbing so high and so fast in trees.

The goat returned home. He planned to ask the monkey the next day to show him the secret. And the night seemed very long! The goat thought and thought. Ha! soon he too would be able to climb trees. Goodbye miserable food, bitter and dried out roots, tree bark and so on! He would climb up there, where the leaves were green and succulent, and feast. It was with such thoughts that the goat woke up with a start. He quickly washed his nose and set off for the monkey's house.

- Good morning monkey," he said, when he saw him. Did you sleep in peace?

- Yes," said the other, "in peace. And how about you?

- I'm fine. I came to see you for something very important. I would like you to open your heart to me, to show me the great secret you have that allows you to climb trees! I know it won't be easy for you, but you will do me a great favour if you accept.

The monkey lowered his head and stopped eating the nut in his hand. He stood still and thoughtful for a moment. It takes time for a monkey to make a decision. The goat was waiting for an answer, a good answer. He would give anything for it.

The monkey's answer came; he said:

- My dear goat, I would love to do you this favour, but as you yourself pointed out, it won't be easy for me. Knowing how to climb is my great secret, it is my most precious possession, it is my heart in a way. I keep it in the greatest secret, more than anything else. This secret defends me against my enemies. I escape the greatest danger because of it. So to reveal it to someone can be fatal for me if the person to whom I reveal it is not the right person. So, honestly, tell me, can I really trust you? Can I reveal this secret to you, open my heart to you?

The goat answered in the affirmative.

Then the monkey offered to come back the next day. By then he would have everything ready for the goat to be like him, agile enough to climb trees. The goat went away and returned the next day. He presented himself to the monkey. The monkey went into the house and came out with a small box filled with a yellow powder. He said to the goat: this is what allows me to be what I am. This is the powder. All you have to do is eat the contents of this box to have the power to climb. As I promised, I give it to you, and with all my heart. Take it and eat! He poured the contents of the box into the goat's hand. But just as the goat was about to put his hand in his mouth to eat the mysterious powder and learn how to climb, the monkey remembered something very important that he had forgotten to ask him. This last piece of information could mean the life or death of the monkey. So the monkey shouted:

- Cabri, first tell me who your best friend is, who do you walk with most often? Who is your confidant?

- The dog!" replied the astonished goat.

Then the monkey changed colour! His hair stood on end! Immediately he slapped the goat's hand and spilled the powder on the ground. He trampled on it and mixed it with the dust. Then he shouted angrily:

- What! The dog, my number one enemy, is your companion and your friend? And I was going to sell my head to do you a favour! You would follow me all over the trees if you ate that powder. And the dog would soon tear me and my poor family apart! And besides, who knows if he is not looking for you right now?

The monkey ran off quickly, climbed up and perched on top of a big tree to dry his sweat!

The goat was in great trouble. Nevertheless, he licked his hand and swallowed what little of the famous powder had stuck to his hand. And it is this bit that, according to the one who told me this tale, allows him to climb the walls today!

I congratulated the monkey because he did not agree to open his heart and give his secret to the one who would one day, in spite of himself, betray him and make him die.

Do you know that we men also have a secret, something very precious? Yes, it is our heart. The Bible says: "Guard your heart more than anything else, for your life depends on it" (Proverbs 4:23). We can give our heart over to evil, to evil desires, that is to say to Satan, then he will be the master of it. He will take up residence in us and rule our lives. Do you know what will happen when Satan takes up residence in our hearts and rules them? We will never have joy. But there is someone else who wants our heart. It is Jesus our Saviour. He loves us. If he enters our heart and stays there we will have the joy of being a child of God. You can tell Jesus all your secrets, open your heart to him. Why don't you do it today?

Knock, knock, knock! Someone is knocking at my door,

Knock, knock, knock! Someone wants to come in:

It's evil looking for a place.

No, no, no! my heart is closed to him!

Knock, knock, knock! Someone is knocking at my door,

Knock, knock, knock! Someone wants to come in:

It's Jesus who wants all the space.

Yes, yes, yes! Lord, you can come in!

Jesus knocked on my door. I opened it, I know that he has entered my heart. Did he also enter your home?