Devils Are For Sale, Aren't They?
Pastoral Resources
Gospel-Telling
The Art and Theology of Children's Sermons
Season: Any
Summary: It is better to be busy for the Lord than idle for the Devil.
Props: Your best storytelling hat
Today I have a most intriguing story for you. I must admit that it's not my own story but one told many, many times by very wise men called Zen Masters.*
About 200 years ago a gentleman who lived in a large house by the side of the road decided to go to the marketplace. As he was walking down a back street, he noticed a very unusual sight: a merchant stood beside a cage with a sign overhead which read "Devil for sale." As he grew closer, the gentlemen could see it was a yellow--skinned devil about the size of a large dog, with a tail and two long, sharp fangs. He sat quietly in his cage, gnawing on a bone.
After the gentleman regained his composure, he asked the merchant whether his devil was for sale. "Oh," said the merchant, "the devil isn't mine, but of course he is for sale. I want you to know this is an excellent devil - strong, hard--working, and able to do almost anything you ask of him. He knows how to cut firewood, clean house, wash dishes - he can even mend clothing. And my price isn't too high. If you give me $200, he's yours."
The gentleman thought it was a fair price, so he paid the merchant and started on his way, carrying the devil in its cage.
"One moment," the merchant shouted. "Because you haven't bargained with me, I want to tell you something about this devil you ought to know. He is a devil, of course, and devils are no good. You know that, don't you?"
"Everyone knows that," the gentleman replied sharply. "Besides, you said he was an excellent devil."
"I did at that, and he will do everything I said he could do," replied the merchant. "I only wanted to warn you that you must keep him busy from sunup to sundown. If he has time to spare, time when he has nothing to do, then he's dangerous."
"If that's all," the gentleman said, "I will take my devil home and put him to work."
At first, everything went smoothly. Every morning the gentleman would call the devil, who bowed down obediently in front of him. The devil would then do everything the gentleman ordered him to do. If he wasn't working, he was playing or resting, but whatever he did, he was always obeying his master's orders.
Then, after some months, the gentleman met an old friend in the city, and because of the thrill of seeing an old acquaintance he forgot everything. He and his friend went to a cafe and started drinking to their friendship. Next they went to a nightclub where they had more drinks and spent the rest of the evening, having a grand time. The next morning the gentleman woke up in a strange place. At first he didn't know what had happened, but gradually it all came back to him. He then remembered his devil, and rushed home. When he reached his street, he smelled something burning, and saw smoke coming from his house. He stormed into his kitchen, where he found the devil sitting on the wooden floor. He had made an open fire and was roasting the neighbor's dog on a spit.
Of course, devils aren't really for sale, as we know. This story is just a dramatic way of teaching us something we ought to know about evil. We know all too well that we get into more trouble when we have nothing to do. It seems the dark side of us is always waiting for its opportunity to show itself, and that opportunity so often comes when our hands are idle and we have nothing constructive to do. This is when we are tempted to pick a fight, to destroy something that someone else has made, or simply to be mischievous.
That phrase from the Lord's Prayer - "and lead us not into temptation" - is one we repeat so often that we never give it a second thought. Perhaps we should make this request more consciously. And might we not also ask God to keep us busy all day doing what is positive and constructive? If we are busy for the Lord and his good, then we will in truth be delivered from all evil.
Reflection Note: A good story does not need to be explained. Since this is a good story, I hesitate to add any kind of explanation. But because of the stark images, I would target this sermon for older children/youth and include a warning that it is about the dark side of each of us.
____________
*This story is adapted from Janwillem van de Wetering's The Empty Mirror (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1947, pp. 107--109). Even in its adapted form, this story is for older children and young people who are able to understand it as a pictorial representation of inner urges.
Summary: It is better to be busy for the Lord than idle for the Devil.
Props: Your best storytelling hat
Today I have a most intriguing story for you. I must admit that it's not my own story but one told many, many times by very wise men called Zen Masters.*
About 200 years ago a gentleman who lived in a large house by the side of the road decided to go to the marketplace. As he was walking down a back street, he noticed a very unusual sight: a merchant stood beside a cage with a sign overhead which read "Devil for sale." As he grew closer, the gentlemen could see it was a yellow--skinned devil about the size of a large dog, with a tail and two long, sharp fangs. He sat quietly in his cage, gnawing on a bone.
After the gentleman regained his composure, he asked the merchant whether his devil was for sale. "Oh," said the merchant, "the devil isn't mine, but of course he is for sale. I want you to know this is an excellent devil - strong, hard--working, and able to do almost anything you ask of him. He knows how to cut firewood, clean house, wash dishes - he can even mend clothing. And my price isn't too high. If you give me $200, he's yours."
The gentleman thought it was a fair price, so he paid the merchant and started on his way, carrying the devil in its cage.
"One moment," the merchant shouted. "Because you haven't bargained with me, I want to tell you something about this devil you ought to know. He is a devil, of course, and devils are no good. You know that, don't you?"
"Everyone knows that," the gentleman replied sharply. "Besides, you said he was an excellent devil."
"I did at that, and he will do everything I said he could do," replied the merchant. "I only wanted to warn you that you must keep him busy from sunup to sundown. If he has time to spare, time when he has nothing to do, then he's dangerous."
"If that's all," the gentleman said, "I will take my devil home and put him to work."
At first, everything went smoothly. Every morning the gentleman would call the devil, who bowed down obediently in front of him. The devil would then do everything the gentleman ordered him to do. If he wasn't working, he was playing or resting, but whatever he did, he was always obeying his master's orders.
Then, after some months, the gentleman met an old friend in the city, and because of the thrill of seeing an old acquaintance he forgot everything. He and his friend went to a cafe and started drinking to their friendship. Next they went to a nightclub where they had more drinks and spent the rest of the evening, having a grand time. The next morning the gentleman woke up in a strange place. At first he didn't know what had happened, but gradually it all came back to him. He then remembered his devil, and rushed home. When he reached his street, he smelled something burning, and saw smoke coming from his house. He stormed into his kitchen, where he found the devil sitting on the wooden floor. He had made an open fire and was roasting the neighbor's dog on a spit.
Of course, devils aren't really for sale, as we know. This story is just a dramatic way of teaching us something we ought to know about evil. We know all too well that we get into more trouble when we have nothing to do. It seems the dark side of us is always waiting for its opportunity to show itself, and that opportunity so often comes when our hands are idle and we have nothing constructive to do. This is when we are tempted to pick a fight, to destroy something that someone else has made, or simply to be mischievous.
That phrase from the Lord's Prayer - "and lead us not into temptation" - is one we repeat so often that we never give it a second thought. Perhaps we should make this request more consciously. And might we not also ask God to keep us busy all day doing what is positive and constructive? If we are busy for the Lord and his good, then we will in truth be delivered from all evil.
Reflection Note: A good story does not need to be explained. Since this is a good story, I hesitate to add any kind of explanation. But because of the stark images, I would target this sermon for older children/youth and include a warning that it is about the dark side of each of us.
____________
*This story is adapted from Janwillem van de Wetering's The Empty Mirror (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1947, pp. 107--109). Even in its adapted form, this story is for older children and young people who are able to understand it as a pictorial representation of inner urges.
