PARABLE OF THE THREE CANDLES
Stories
PARSON'S PARABLES
Three children carried their candles home from church. Each thought of it preciously in relationship to the commitment made in the beautiful Candle Light Service.
One had not even lit the candle in order to keep it good as new. The other had let the candle burn during the service and carried it forth still lit from the church, but it blew out at the doorway. The third blew out his candle and took it home and lit it a number of times during the year until it was burned down into the dish.
"Look," said Mary. "after ten months have passed, I still have my candle as good as new. I was smarter than the others. John's is all burned up and Eddie's just lays in the drawer half used up. Who's the smartest, mother?"
"I don't know," replied the mother. "Candles are made to be used. They give forth their light for whatever the user decides. Who can say what John was thinking, as he did his work with the lighted candle, and who knows how Eddie feels, when he opens his drawer and sees the candle.
We are meant to use our lives being helpful to others and; whether you light a candle or don't use candles, there is a spiritual light that should be in you and which should shine out to make others happy. It is not how big your candle is, but how you use the light that it gives."
Read St Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
PARABLE OF THE COUNTERFEIT MONEY
"Mother, look what I got," said Jimmy. "A man gave me all these big pieces of money. Now I'm rich. Is it alright if I buy an ice-cream cone for you and me?"
"Let me see that money," said his mother. "I am sorry Jimmy you can't buy anything with this money. It is no longer of any value."
Jimmy said, "You mean it is no good Why? It is even bigger than the money in my bank!"
"It is difficult to tell you Jimmy, but our government didn't make this money and money is not good unless the people that make it stand behind it."
"Gee, that makes me feel bad," said Jimmy. "I thought I was rich."
Learning a proper set of values and backing up one's word with action is an important part of human development. We have noted in public print that some large multi-million dollar business transactions have been sealed with a handclasp.
Jimmy was fooled by the size and the shape of his false money, and adults, too, are often deceived as to the value of stocks and bonds and the value of human activities. Christians learn that the Way to Christ's Kingdom is through His Church and according to His Word and through faith in a Risen Christ. The value of personal faith in God is indicated by how much action backs up the word of the believer. Mankind has great expectancy of those who believe in Christ; and those, who stand at the altar of their Church and vow their allegiance and loyalty in God's service as members, are God's money ready to be spent in Christian causes. Some may be counterfeit in their commitments.
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
PARABLE OF SWIMMING OR WADING
"What are you doing hitting your sister?" said the mother.
"She slapped me first," said Dick.
"Well, he splashed water on me by diving into the pool right next to where I am sitting. I just want to dangle my feet in the water."
"Sally," said the mother, "don't be offended so easily. Either get your bathing suit on and get into the water or get away from the pool."
Some people feel about the church and the Christian life like Sally felt about the water. They just want to dangle their feet.
Anyone, who is in the water swimming, takes little notice of swimming, takes little notice of the waves that are caused by dangling feet, because they are busy in the happiness of swimming. But those, who are only wading, are not only splashed by the swimmer, they are also annoyed by waves created by other danglers.
It is so in the Christian river of life. Those, who are busily engaged in the work, using their full strength to swim, are undisturbed, by little things. Their whole life is being uplifted by the water and the efforts they are making in it.
Those, who merely wade in the stream, never really know the power of the flowing River of Life, but rather sit in judgment and annoyance by the dabbling that is done by half-hearted Christians.
If you want to learn to swim, as Christians, get into the water and give your whole self to Christ's cause.
Read St. Matthew 11:4, 5, 6, "Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.' "
PARABLE OF A PRAYER AND A BANK ACCOUNT
"When are you going to get your new bike, Johnny?" said Larry.
"I don't know if I will ever get it now," said John.
"What's the matter? Won't your father give it to you?" inquired his friend.
"We're not talking to each other. I'm mad at him," said John. "I've money in the bank, but I don't know how to get it out."
"You'd better make up with your father," said Larry. "It's foolish to be angry with him. You just can't win that way."
It is true most people have money in the spiritual bank account. A great inheritance sufficient to supply all of their needs and all of their wants.
Some don't know how to get the money out of the bank and some are too stubborn to communicate with their Heavenly Father. They are offended by their own narrowness, stubbornness, and ignorance. These are reasons why people fail to accept their religious heritage; short-changing themselves in the joys of living.
They miss out on friendships and thrilling experiences. They are never quite ready to admit that they don't know how to pray and don't know how to communicate with God. So they tell their friends they are offended with the Church, the preacher, the religion or with God and continue in their unfulfilled dreams.
It is more than a pity -- it is human tragedy to live and not live, to desire love and not obtain it and to ignore the presence of God's love, when it is the answer to human suffering.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."
St. John 15:16, 17
PARABLE OF THE VALUE OF AN APPLE PIE
"Here's a little something for your supper," the lady said.
"Thank you very much," said Jim. On arrival home, he opened the package and told his brother, "Isn't that marvelous, a delicious apple pie!"
"What's so wonderful about that?" said Dick. "You can get one bigger than that at the bakery for 75 cents."
"I know, but this was for nothing, and it was baked especially for me. It makes me happy all over. It's wonderful to me."
"Well, I can't see anything so wonderful about a little pie."
"That's it," said Jim, "you just don't get it."
One of the tragedies of life is that many folks just don't get it. That is, the kindness of neighborly consideration and the appreciation of the efforts of others for all the little things that make life worthwhile.
As we ride our beautiful cars, we often fail to see the inventor, the laborer, the mechanic, the distributor, the road builder, the traffic policeman and the road cleanup crew. As we enter the bakery and take our piece of delicious pastries, we don't see the farmer, the harvester, the flour maker, the baker and the clerk.
We live all too selfishly -- not seeing how many thousands contribute to our health and happiness and we fail to give thanks.
We ought, more than once a week, to be on our knees saying, "Oh God, how grateful I am for Thy many kindnesses."
Thanksgiving and Christmas make for joyful seasons because we pause to consider the wisdom and joy of gratitude.
"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."
Psalm 34:1, 2
PARABLE OF THE HINGE
The door opened and closed with a bang thousands of times. One angry son left the house and crashed the door shut and the hinge came loose. When he tried to re-enter the door wouldn't open.
"What's the matter with this door?" he shouted. "Someone let me in."
"Now, you've done it," said the mother.
"The door isn't broken," said the boy, "it is just the hinge."
"Well, I can't get it open," said the mother. "You'll have to wait until father gets home."
"You push and I'll pull," said the boy, "and we will get the door open."
They succeeded with a struggle and closed the door with a struggle. "You wouldn't think one little hinge would make such a difference," said the boy.
It is true that the doorways of life hinge on important matters, which we often take for granted. Christmas hinges on the birth of Christ and the Church teaches of His Spirit; but much of society takes Jesus and the Church for granted.
Democracy hinges on the respect for the rights of every individual, while many take these rights for granted, while denying the privileges to others. Christmas, democracy, the Church, the school, the home, and all good things are short changed by millions who ignore the hinges which swing the doors through which they come and go. In observing Christmas we pause to consider the many to whom we are indebted. Those who keep the streets usable, those who keep the electric lines supplied, and those who bring the mail. Christmas is a time of appreciation because God's love makes us aware of the many blessings He provides through others. The greatest gift is the gift of love for it makes us aware of all that is good.
The boy learned the value of the hinge in his own defeat. Some are wise enough to appreciate the things on which life hinges without frustration.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
QUESTING ... THAT BRINGS FULFILLMENT
If you could find an angel
That would touch your very soul,
And bring to you the magic
That would give you Heaven's goal,
Thus, bring you Life's fulfillment
In the body and the mind,
You'd have the richest treasure;
Our own God's eternal kind.
Well, God has made available
This treasure just for you.
For it is in the questing
That you find this Truth comes true.
Yes, it would be discarded
As unworthy by mankind,
If there were not a challenge for the heart
And for the mind.
It takes devoted effort
And good faith, as you believe,
If in your years of living
The real treasure you'd achieve.
To make each day in questing
God's own Spirit very near,
By things you say and things you do
Which conquer every fear.
For God has given life to you
That you might seek His Will;
And praise Him in the doing
With a love that makes you thrill
To the humble tasks of serving,
Christ's own Kingdom here to build,
And find that through your loving ways
Your life has been fulfilled.
PARABLE OF THE BANK AND THE LIBRARY
"Mother, isn't it wonderful? Last week there were no leaves on the tree, but now the leaves and a nest and eggs in the nest." said Mary as she looked out the upstairs window. "How soon will there be little birds there? How long before the eggs hatch?"
"I don't know," said the mother. "Why don't you go to the library? They will have a book that will tell you more about it."
"They do have a book about eggs hatching," said Mary.
"Yes," said the mother, "and the library has books on almost everything."
"Where do they get all those books?" asked the child. "And who writes all of them?"
"The library is filled with books by generous people and by knowledge that others have set down over thousands of years."
"Isn't that wonderful?" said the child. "It's like a great big building. Like a bank, only instead of being filled with money, it's being filled with answers to all the questions that children have in school."
"Yes," said the mother, "and you don't have to have made a deposit to draw out the 'money'. Someone else has done it for you and all the community can go and use the books, freely."
Indeed, God's creative power is fully displayed in the springtime and the knowledge that the centuries of study has given mankind is wonderfully made available through our libraries. The child's awareness of what seemed like an endless supply of books from the library is too often forgotten by those out of school.
The availability of books for people throughout our nation is a part of the great work of responsible citizenship; and the seeking of good literature to feed the minds of our people instead of pulp printing of perverted passion is a great responsibility of citizenship today.
Along with Clean-Up Week in our communities to beautify our living conditions, needs to be a clean up of the patterns of sharing wisdom for our time. As the banks make their appeal for the proper use of money, so we also need direction for the proper use of knowledge.
Read Proverbs 16:16, 17 "And wisdom is rather to be gotten than gold and understanding to be chosen rather than silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul."
One had not even lit the candle in order to keep it good as new. The other had let the candle burn during the service and carried it forth still lit from the church, but it blew out at the doorway. The third blew out his candle and took it home and lit it a number of times during the year until it was burned down into the dish.
"Look," said Mary. "after ten months have passed, I still have my candle as good as new. I was smarter than the others. John's is all burned up and Eddie's just lays in the drawer half used up. Who's the smartest, mother?"
"I don't know," replied the mother. "Candles are made to be used. They give forth their light for whatever the user decides. Who can say what John was thinking, as he did his work with the lighted candle, and who knows how Eddie feels, when he opens his drawer and sees the candle.
We are meant to use our lives being helpful to others and; whether you light a candle or don't use candles, there is a spiritual light that should be in you and which should shine out to make others happy. It is not how big your candle is, but how you use the light that it gives."
Read St Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
PARABLE OF THE COUNTERFEIT MONEY
"Mother, look what I got," said Jimmy. "A man gave me all these big pieces of money. Now I'm rich. Is it alright if I buy an ice-cream cone for you and me?"
"Let me see that money," said his mother. "I am sorry Jimmy you can't buy anything with this money. It is no longer of any value."
Jimmy said, "You mean it is no good Why? It is even bigger than the money in my bank!"
"It is difficult to tell you Jimmy, but our government didn't make this money and money is not good unless the people that make it stand behind it."
"Gee, that makes me feel bad," said Jimmy. "I thought I was rich."
Learning a proper set of values and backing up one's word with action is an important part of human development. We have noted in public print that some large multi-million dollar business transactions have been sealed with a handclasp.
Jimmy was fooled by the size and the shape of his false money, and adults, too, are often deceived as to the value of stocks and bonds and the value of human activities. Christians learn that the Way to Christ's Kingdom is through His Church and according to His Word and through faith in a Risen Christ. The value of personal faith in God is indicated by how much action backs up the word of the believer. Mankind has great expectancy of those who believe in Christ; and those, who stand at the altar of their Church and vow their allegiance and loyalty in God's service as members, are God's money ready to be spent in Christian causes. Some may be counterfeit in their commitments.
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
PARABLE OF SWIMMING OR WADING
"What are you doing hitting your sister?" said the mother.
"She slapped me first," said Dick.
"Well, he splashed water on me by diving into the pool right next to where I am sitting. I just want to dangle my feet in the water."
"Sally," said the mother, "don't be offended so easily. Either get your bathing suit on and get into the water or get away from the pool."
Some people feel about the church and the Christian life like Sally felt about the water. They just want to dangle their feet.
Anyone, who is in the water swimming, takes little notice of swimming, takes little notice of the waves that are caused by dangling feet, because they are busy in the happiness of swimming. But those, who are only wading, are not only splashed by the swimmer, they are also annoyed by waves created by other danglers.
It is so in the Christian river of life. Those, who are busily engaged in the work, using their full strength to swim, are undisturbed, by little things. Their whole life is being uplifted by the water and the efforts they are making in it.
Those, who merely wade in the stream, never really know the power of the flowing River of Life, but rather sit in judgment and annoyance by the dabbling that is done by half-hearted Christians.
If you want to learn to swim, as Christians, get into the water and give your whole self to Christ's cause.
Read St. Matthew 11:4, 5, 6, "Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.' "
PARABLE OF A PRAYER AND A BANK ACCOUNT
"When are you going to get your new bike, Johnny?" said Larry.
"I don't know if I will ever get it now," said John.
"What's the matter? Won't your father give it to you?" inquired his friend.
"We're not talking to each other. I'm mad at him," said John. "I've money in the bank, but I don't know how to get it out."
"You'd better make up with your father," said Larry. "It's foolish to be angry with him. You just can't win that way."
It is true most people have money in the spiritual bank account. A great inheritance sufficient to supply all of their needs and all of their wants.
Some don't know how to get the money out of the bank and some are too stubborn to communicate with their Heavenly Father. They are offended by their own narrowness, stubbornness, and ignorance. These are reasons why people fail to accept their religious heritage; short-changing themselves in the joys of living.
They miss out on friendships and thrilling experiences. They are never quite ready to admit that they don't know how to pray and don't know how to communicate with God. So they tell their friends they are offended with the Church, the preacher, the religion or with God and continue in their unfulfilled dreams.
It is more than a pity -- it is human tragedy to live and not live, to desire love and not obtain it and to ignore the presence of God's love, when it is the answer to human suffering.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."
St. John 15:16, 17
PARABLE OF THE VALUE OF AN APPLE PIE
"Here's a little something for your supper," the lady said.
"Thank you very much," said Jim. On arrival home, he opened the package and told his brother, "Isn't that marvelous, a delicious apple pie!"
"What's so wonderful about that?" said Dick. "You can get one bigger than that at the bakery for 75 cents."
"I know, but this was for nothing, and it was baked especially for me. It makes me happy all over. It's wonderful to me."
"Well, I can't see anything so wonderful about a little pie."
"That's it," said Jim, "you just don't get it."
One of the tragedies of life is that many folks just don't get it. That is, the kindness of neighborly consideration and the appreciation of the efforts of others for all the little things that make life worthwhile.
As we ride our beautiful cars, we often fail to see the inventor, the laborer, the mechanic, the distributor, the road builder, the traffic policeman and the road cleanup crew. As we enter the bakery and take our piece of delicious pastries, we don't see the farmer, the harvester, the flour maker, the baker and the clerk.
We live all too selfishly -- not seeing how many thousands contribute to our health and happiness and we fail to give thanks.
We ought, more than once a week, to be on our knees saying, "Oh God, how grateful I am for Thy many kindnesses."
Thanksgiving and Christmas make for joyful seasons because we pause to consider the wisdom and joy of gratitude.
"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."
Psalm 34:1, 2
PARABLE OF THE HINGE
The door opened and closed with a bang thousands of times. One angry son left the house and crashed the door shut and the hinge came loose. When he tried to re-enter the door wouldn't open.
"What's the matter with this door?" he shouted. "Someone let me in."
"Now, you've done it," said the mother.
"The door isn't broken," said the boy, "it is just the hinge."
"Well, I can't get it open," said the mother. "You'll have to wait until father gets home."
"You push and I'll pull," said the boy, "and we will get the door open."
They succeeded with a struggle and closed the door with a struggle. "You wouldn't think one little hinge would make such a difference," said the boy.
It is true that the doorways of life hinge on important matters, which we often take for granted. Christmas hinges on the birth of Christ and the Church teaches of His Spirit; but much of society takes Jesus and the Church for granted.
Democracy hinges on the respect for the rights of every individual, while many take these rights for granted, while denying the privileges to others. Christmas, democracy, the Church, the school, the home, and all good things are short changed by millions who ignore the hinges which swing the doors through which they come and go. In observing Christmas we pause to consider the many to whom we are indebted. Those who keep the streets usable, those who keep the electric lines supplied, and those who bring the mail. Christmas is a time of appreciation because God's love makes us aware of the many blessings He provides through others. The greatest gift is the gift of love for it makes us aware of all that is good.
The boy learned the value of the hinge in his own defeat. Some are wise enough to appreciate the things on which life hinges without frustration.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
QUESTING ... THAT BRINGS FULFILLMENT
If you could find an angel
That would touch your very soul,
And bring to you the magic
That would give you Heaven's goal,
Thus, bring you Life's fulfillment
In the body and the mind,
You'd have the richest treasure;
Our own God's eternal kind.
Well, God has made available
This treasure just for you.
For it is in the questing
That you find this Truth comes true.
Yes, it would be discarded
As unworthy by mankind,
If there were not a challenge for the heart
And for the mind.
It takes devoted effort
And good faith, as you believe,
If in your years of living
The real treasure you'd achieve.
To make each day in questing
God's own Spirit very near,
By things you say and things you do
Which conquer every fear.
For God has given life to you
That you might seek His Will;
And praise Him in the doing
With a love that makes you thrill
To the humble tasks of serving,
Christ's own Kingdom here to build,
And find that through your loving ways
Your life has been fulfilled.
PARABLE OF THE BANK AND THE LIBRARY
"Mother, isn't it wonderful? Last week there were no leaves on the tree, but now the leaves and a nest and eggs in the nest." said Mary as she looked out the upstairs window. "How soon will there be little birds there? How long before the eggs hatch?"
"I don't know," said the mother. "Why don't you go to the library? They will have a book that will tell you more about it."
"They do have a book about eggs hatching," said Mary.
"Yes," said the mother, "and the library has books on almost everything."
"Where do they get all those books?" asked the child. "And who writes all of them?"
"The library is filled with books by generous people and by knowledge that others have set down over thousands of years."
"Isn't that wonderful?" said the child. "It's like a great big building. Like a bank, only instead of being filled with money, it's being filled with answers to all the questions that children have in school."
"Yes," said the mother, "and you don't have to have made a deposit to draw out the 'money'. Someone else has done it for you and all the community can go and use the books, freely."
Indeed, God's creative power is fully displayed in the springtime and the knowledge that the centuries of study has given mankind is wonderfully made available through our libraries. The child's awareness of what seemed like an endless supply of books from the library is too often forgotten by those out of school.
The availability of books for people throughout our nation is a part of the great work of responsible citizenship; and the seeking of good literature to feed the minds of our people instead of pulp printing of perverted passion is a great responsibility of citizenship today.
Along with Clean-Up Week in our communities to beautify our living conditions, needs to be a clean up of the patterns of sharing wisdom for our time. As the banks make their appeal for the proper use of money, so we also need direction for the proper use of knowledge.
Read Proverbs 16:16, 17 "And wisdom is rather to be gotten than gold and understanding to be chosen rather than silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul."
