Parable 2: The King and His Servants

There once was a good and powerful king with wealth beyond imagining. As he looked out over his kingdom he saw people living in hardship, unable to find honest work. This broke the king’s heart. So he sent out a proclamation that he would provide work for any in need and would pay them from his own riches. In the following weeks floods of people came through the palace courts to receive their assignments and soon the whole land was living in prosperity.

As news of the king’s greatness spread, people from distant lands began traveling to see if it was really true, and if they too could find work. One day, two such travelers entered a town at the edge of the kingdom. “Let us separate,” the first man said to the other, “and talk to the people of this town so that we can learn about the king before we meet him.” The second man thought this was a wise plan so each went his own way, agreeing to meet at the inn come nightfall.

That evening the two men sat at a table with hot food and cold drinks and told their stories. The first man began, “After we parted ways I wandered up and down the streets looking for a place to break my fast. I saw two men and greeted them, but when they realized I was from out of town they attacked me and stole my purse. I was astounded. Why would they do this when they are employed by their king? I was not badly hurt, so I got to my feet. As I walked a woman called to me from an open doorway, “Traveler! You look in need of a bowl of hot soup and some bread. Come, eat!” I approached and told her that I would like nothing better, but that I had no money. She frowned and told me to go to the king, who would give me a job. I asked if it were true that the king would give work to any who asked. Her frown lifted and she told me of the king’s great love and generosity. She told me how her own family had prospered, and that I had only to ask and I too would receive all these things. I replied that I had, in fact, been on my way to visit the king, but had been attacked by two men who stole my money. She seemed very upset and for a moment I thought she might invite me in to eat. Instead she again told me to go to the king. The gnawing at my stomach made me bold, so I asked, “Lady, since you have been so richly blessed, might you spare a bowl of soup to help me on my way?” She took a step back into the house and replied, “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have to take care of my own. Come back after you have seen the king and you will receive a most hearty welcome. Good day Sir.” With that she disappeared inside and shut the door. The rest of the day I walked the streets receiving much the same greetings. I think we should leave this place at first light. The king is most surely a wicked man.”

The second man was taken aback by this final statement and asked his friend to explain. The first man went on, “What kind of king employs evil men who would attack an unarmed traveler? And if that weren’t enough, there’s the woman who refused to help me in my need. I think that the king must not really be generous, but forces them to praise him as if he is. Why else would this woman be unable to spare even one bowl of soup?”

The first man finished and sat back with his drink to listen to the second man. He began, “Well, after we parted ways I walked to the center of town and sat myself down at the foot of a statue in the middle of the square. I sat there all day and watched. People came and went, some stopped to talk to me and others passed by without so much as a glance. From my seat I saw, down one alley, three men come stumbling out of a bar, heavy from a night of drinking, and cursing and punching as though each had been wronged by the entire world. Down another alley I saw an old woman struggling to carry a large burden. As she stepped into the light of the square a man sitting at his breakfast saw her and immediately went to help. I saw pick-pockets and prostitutes, I saw charity and thoughtfulness. One man shared his lunch with me and another spat on me. I think we should continue on in the morning. I, for one, am eager to meet this king.”

The first man sat forward, nearly spilling his drink, “What! Why? Those who serve him are no better than – are even worse than the rest of the world. A few may be good, but that certainly does not justify the actions of the rest!”

The second man nodded, “It is true that some of the people here are evil, but just because they live in the king’s town does not mean they are employed by the king. It is quite possible that they live here because it is comfortable, or they were raised here, but choose not to work for the king. It is even possible that they live here because they think the people are easy prey. Also, the king swore to provide work for all who come to him, not just the pleasant people. Surely not all of his servants reflect him. I want to meet this king and see for myself. It may be that you are right and if so, we have only lost a few days. However, it may be that I am right and we will soon be rewarded for our trouble. So what will it be? Shall we judge the king by his servants, or by the man himself?”

Parable 1: Debts Paid in Full

Ok, here is the first of my three parables. I'm slightly more long-winded than Jesus...I need to work on being more concise. But seeing as he's God, the original storyteller, I'm not beating myself up too much. :)

Debts Paid in Full

I

There once was a very wealthy man who owned great riches and vast amounts of land. One beautiful, sunny day the rich man decided to go for a drive and visit a small town not far from his estate. He entered the town and found an outdoor café where he could enjoy the day and watch the people walking by. He smiled at the flowers in bloom and the birds singing in the trees. He observed the passers-by and imagined who they might be and the ambitions, hopes, and concerns they might have. As he sat he heard snippets of a conversation that caught his attention.


Three men sat at a nearby table, deep in discussion. It seemed that the three men had fallen on hard times. They had lost their jobs and incurred very large amounts of debt. All three feared that soon they would lose their homes and they and their families would find themselves on the streets. Even if they were able to find jobs now, their debts had grown so large they would never pay it off. The conversation lulled as the men stared at their cups of water which they had not touched. With nothing left to say they parted and wished each other better fortunes tomorrow. The rich man thought for a moment, went to the counter and asked the names of the men who had been at the table. He then went directly to the bank and paid all three men’s debts in full, promising to also pay any debts that the men would incur in the future.


II

A few days later the rich man decided to visit the three men and see how they were doing. As he drove up to the first man’s house he noticed a ‘for sale’ sign in the front yard. He smiled thinking the man must be doing so well he had decided to move his family into a nicer house. He parked on the street and walked to the front door. As he did so the door opened a crack and worried eyes peered out of the dark inside. “Who is it?” called an angry voice. The rich man was taken aback, “Just a friend coming to see how you fare.” “Ha! A debt collector. Go away,” said the man as he slammed the door shut. The rich man was very confused. Why would the man be afraid of debt collectors? Perhaps he had not yet heard the good news. Assuming this must be the case he knocked on the door, “Sir, I have good news for you. You never need to worry about another debt collector again.” The man’s voice came muffled from behind the closed door, “What are you going to try and sell me now? You’re wasting your time. I don’t have any money. Now go away!” The rich man laughed, “Sir, you don’t understand. I’m not selling anything. You see, I paid your debts – all of it, and then some. Come celebrate with me!” The door flung open with a bang, but the man who emerged was not rejoicing, he looked furious. The man glared at the rich man, “How dare you come here spouting nonsense, laughing and joking while I’m in trouble! No one is going to pay my debt for me, it’s much too large. Who would do that? It’s ridiculous! Besides, I can take care of myself. Even if someone did offer to pay for it I would never accept. I’ll work hard, dodge creditors, and make my own way.” The rich man interrupted, “Sir, I’m not offering, I already paid it, whether you want it or not.” “Enough!” said the man, “Stand out here all day if you want, but I have work to do!” With that he went back in his house and slammed the door once again. The rich man slowly walked back to his car, tears in his eyes. He should have been angry, but he felt so sorry for this man – he would spend his whole life slaving away to pay a debt that he could never pay, a debt that was already gone. The rich man got in his car, wondering if the other two men were doing any better.


As the rich man drove up to the second man’s house he saw the man sitting on the front porch watching the road. The rich man parked and the man came up and greeted him, “Good afternoon Sir, what brings you to my home today?” The rich man relaxed. So far the reaction was better. He smiled, “I’ve come to make sure you’ve heard the good news. Your debts have been paid. You never need to worry about money again. Let’s go-” “You’re him!” interrupted the man, “I can’t thank you enough! You have no idea!” The rich man grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut-off. “Wait here! I have something for you!” the man shouted as he ran into the house. Once again the rich man was left standing confused outside. Eventually the man reemerged carrying a small white envelope which he shoved into the rich man’s hands. “Here,” he said not able to look him in the eye, “It’s not much, but it’s all I have right now. I’ll give you more when I get it.” The rich man opened the envelope and saw a few tattered bills. “What is this?” The man looked up at him, “I told you, it’s all I have! Isn’t that enough for you?” The rich man held out the envelope, “I don’t want you to pay me. It was a gift.” The man looked down at the envelope, then back at the rich man, “You paid all my debt, and I know it was no small amount. The guys at the bank say you even promised to pay my future debt. How can you not want something in return? You’re obviously a great guy, I mean, I’m really thankful for what you did for me, but you must want something from me.” The rich man laughed, “Do you know who I am? I don’t need anything from you. Just come celebrate with me. Let’s enjoy each other’s company.” The man stared at him, trying to comprehend what he had just said. “But you might change your mind and decide I’m not worth it. I can’t afford that. I’ll pay you small payments when I can… I’ll give to the poor! See, I can learn from you! As long as you’re paying for me, I can help others. Would you like that? Will that keep us on good terms?” “I would be thrilled if you gave to the poor,” replied the rich man, “but not if it’s just because you think you need to earn my favor.” “Say no more,” cut in the man, “I’ll do more than you can imagine! I’ll work so hard… you’ve never seen a better worker! I’ll spend every spare moment volunteering. I’ll even make my kids do it! You chose the right guy! I’ll make it worth your money, don’t you worry.” The man began walking back to his house. The rich man called after him, “Won’t you come with me?” “No time,” shouted the man over his shoulder, “I’ve got to get busy!” With that he walked into the house and shut the door. Feeling completely rejected the rich man returned to his car. He sat staring at the dash and the tears returned to his eyes. He wanted to give this man a gift, but the man had turned it into an even greater burden. Not only would he spend his life trying to repay the enormous debt, but he would be forever worried about keeping the rich man’s favor. As he turned the key in the ignition he wondered if it was even worth going to see the third man.


When the rich man pulled up to the third house he saw the man on his hands and knees working in the yard. The rich man took a deep breath and got out of the car. The man got up to greet the visitor, “It’s a beautiful afternoon isn’t it?” The rich man looked at the many newly planted flowers, “It is. You’ve been busy.” The man wiped his hands on his pants, “That I have. You will never believe what has happened. I had fallen on hard times… I can’t tell you how bad it was. I was going to lose everything. Then, miraculously, someone paid all my debts! I don’t know how he even knew! But he did. My wife has wanted flowers out here for so long, but I couldn’t do even that for her. But now, thanks to him – now she will have the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood!” The rich man smiled, “I am certain she will.” The man looked at his handiwork with pride then back to the rich man, “Now what brings you here Sir? Can I help you with –” he stared at the rich man’s smiling face, “You’re him aren’t you?” The rich man nodded. Before he could say anything the man, forgetting his dirty hands and clothes, embraced the rich man, sobbing. “Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?” he cried. The rich man’s heart sank. The man suddenly remembered his dirtiness and pulled back. “I want to be clear,” began the rich man, “I paid your debt as a gift, because I want you to be happy, not living a life of worry. I don’t want you to spend your life trying to repay a debt that we both know you can’t. If you are grateful at all, then just come celebrate with me.” The man looked down at his dirty hands, then up at the rich man, “Will you come inside and meet my family?” The rich man felt as though his heart would burst with joy, “I would love to.”

III

A few weeks later the rich man drove again to see the first man, but despite his knocking, no one answered the door. He shook his head sadly has he walked back past the ‘for sale’ sign still in the yard. He drove next to the second man’s house. When he knocked on the door the man came quickly to the door, greeted him boisterously, stuffed an envelope in his hand and turned to go, saying he had lots of work to do. “Wait,” called the rich man. “Won’t you go for a drive with me?” “Oh, I’d love to, but I can’t,” replied the man. “Perhaps another time,” and he shut the door. The rich man drove to the third man’s house and before he could even get out of the car the man ran up and hopped in the passenger seat, “Where are we going today?” The rich man laughed, “You have no idea how much I love coming here! Well, today I was thinking you could go with me to tell some others that I’ve paid their debts.” The man looked a little worried, “What if they react like those other two you told me about?” The rich man started the car, “That’s a risk I’m willing to take. Are you in?” The man buckled his seatbelt and nodded. It was sure to be a great ride.