Maybe you have heard the story of Rock Soup. It is one of my favorites. I think it is a fitting tale about leadership and community action in tough times.

A soldier was returning home from war. He wandered through the cold and snow. He was tired and starving. He came to a village, picked a house and knocked on the door. Explaining his plight, he asked for a little something to eat. The man at the door shook his head and responded that he had a family to feed. They were hungry themselves. The scene repeated house after house, and the answer was the always the same. It had been a hard winter. The villagers were all hungry.

The soldier thought and formed a plan. He gathered some sticks and wood. He built a campfire in the village square. He borrowed a black iron pot which was resting against the wall of an empty blacksmith shop. He filled the pot with snow.

Onlookers stared at him with curiosity. The soldier then gathered some smooth, dark stones. He inspected each closely, smelled them individually, wiped them clean, and then placed them gingerly, one by one, into the pot. The soldier then took a big wooden spoon from his knapsack and began stirring the water in the pot and occasionally taking a taste. ”Mmmmmm,” he finally said, ”This is the best Rock Soup I have tasted in a long time.”

The villagers couldn’t believe their ears. Rock Soup? Surely he was mad! The soldier took one more taste and then said, ”This is good soup, but it needs something, perhaps a carrot. Yes, that’s it, a little bit of carrot would make it perfect!” An elderly villager stepped forward, looked into the pot, paused a moment, then said, ”I think I might have a couple of carrots in my cellar; I will bring them.” On his return the carrots were added to the Rock Soup.

Again the soldier continued to stir and taste and stir and taste. ”This is pretty good Rock Soup, the carrots made it better, but it is still missing something. Perhaps a few onions would make it even better.” Just as the soldier said this a few villagers scurried off. Upon their return, the soldier was given more than a few onions. Into the pot went the onions.

Again the soldier continued to stir and taste and stir and taste. ”This is very good Rock Soup, the carrots and onions made it better, but it is still missing something. Perhaps a few potatoes would make it even better.” The ever-steaming brew by now was starting to smell delicious. A good number of villagers bustled off. Upon their return, the soldier was presented with potatoes enough to fill the pot.

As he let it simmer, others brought bits of this and that to add flavor. Tasting it one more time, he exclaimed it was ”Perfect!” Soon everyone in the town was able to enjoy a bowl of this wonderful soup. All of the villagers proclaimed that it was the best Rock Soup they had ever eaten!