There is a fable about...
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There is a fable about a fabulously wealthy king who has a son whom he adores. The boy is bright and handsome, perfect in every way except one: he was hunchbacked.
This saddens the king to no end. He proclaims that a rich treasure will go to the person who figures out how to heal the boy's back. Months and months pass, without a solution. The wisest thinkers and most learned scholars travel to the palace from afar, but no one knows what to do. Finally, an old, wise woman happens into the kingdom and hears about the problem. "I want nothing of your treasure," she says, "but I do have the answer to your problem." The old woman directs the king to build a statue in the center of the palace courtyard -- an exact replica of his son, but with one exception: its back must be perfectly straight. "That's all you have to do," she assures him. "Trust God for the healing."
The king's artisans set to work, and in no time a beautiful marble sculpture sits in the center of the courtyard. Every day, as the little boy plays, he studies the figure in admiration. He starts to say to himself, "That's me! It looks exactly like me."
Little by little, the boy's back straightens. The day comes when the king gazes out at the prince, frolicking in the garden — and realizes his son's back is totally healed. The boy's identification with the statue is so complete that he has come to believe it is him — straight back and all. His body obeys his belief.
Standing in the Jordan, Jesus hears the divine blessing: "This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). Unlike the prince in the fable, Jesus probably did not need to hear those words. He already knew God's blessing was his.
This saddens the king to no end. He proclaims that a rich treasure will go to the person who figures out how to heal the boy's back. Months and months pass, without a solution. The wisest thinkers and most learned scholars travel to the palace from afar, but no one knows what to do. Finally, an old, wise woman happens into the kingdom and hears about the problem. "I want nothing of your treasure," she says, "but I do have the answer to your problem." The old woman directs the king to build a statue in the center of the palace courtyard -- an exact replica of his son, but with one exception: its back must be perfectly straight. "That's all you have to do," she assures him. "Trust God for the healing."
The king's artisans set to work, and in no time a beautiful marble sculpture sits in the center of the courtyard. Every day, as the little boy plays, he studies the figure in admiration. He starts to say to himself, "That's me! It looks exactly like me."
Little by little, the boy's back straightens. The day comes when the king gazes out at the prince, frolicking in the garden — and realizes his son's back is totally healed. The boy's identification with the statue is so complete that he has come to believe it is him — straight back and all. His body obeys his belief.
Standing in the Jordan, Jesus hears the divine blessing: "This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). Unlike the prince in the fable, Jesus probably did not need to hear those words. He already knew God's blessing was his.
