A Modern Day Parable
Hi everybody, it's story time! Hope you enjoy this!
A rich man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus replied, “Sell all you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven, then come follow me.” The rich man walked away.
Then the disciples asked Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals, it is impossible, but not for God, all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27 NRSV)
I know a true story about a 20th century rich man and a poor farmer. One day, the farmer heard the terrified screaming of a young boy's voice coming from the bog on his farm. He ran and found the boy waist deep and sinking in the black muck. The farmer grabbed the boy’s hand and pulled him out; saving him from certain death.
The father of the boy was a rich nobleman who wanted to repay the farmer but the farmer refused to accept money. The rich man offered to pay the same for the farmer’s son education as he would pay for his own son’s. The farmer accepted that offer! The farmer’s boy went to St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London and he later became known the world around as Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years later, the rich man’s son, who had been saved from the sinking mud, got pneumonia and his life was saved by penicillin. The rich man’s son’s name was Sir Winston Churchill.
Jesus taught us to store up treasures in heaven and the rich man in today’s story surely added to his treasure in heaven. Think of the countless lives that have been saved with penicillin over the years because he paid for a poor farmer’s son to go to medical school..
Jesus liked to teach using stories with spiritual meaning.. I think there is a spiritual meaning or moral to this story. It is this… Jesus saves us from our sins… He is our salvation and saves us when we cannot save ourselves from the bog of sin . Jesus also saves us to fulfill our purpose in life. You may not feel like you are fulfilling your purpose in life but you do not know the future. If we are faithful and look to God and around us for help, then God will help see us through. God does not see as we see; God knows the rest of the story. Sometimes we forget that “…For God, all things are possible” “(Mark 10:27)
Tell me what you think. Please leave a comment!
Your Sister In Christ,
Rev. Carol
