The English Lord and his Servant
One fine morning, a rich landlord took his double barrel gun, mounted his horse, called a servant of his and went to hunt in his large estate.
Being of good spirits he started teasing his servant:
“Tell me”, he said, “ you believe in God, don’t you?”
“Oh yes sir”, answered the servant, “I am a staunch follower of Jesus Christ”.
“Ah good”, went on the lord, “because I would like you to explain to me something: You see, I don’t believe in God! I couldn’t care less about Jesus and the Bible… and sin (as you call it) is a daily part of my life. You know what I mean. And yet, as you know, I am rich, healthy and very happy.
Now you, you who love Jesus and follows him, you are poor, troubled with the many problems you have with your health and family. You are unhappy, to say the least!
How do you explain that? I mean, if your God truly existed, shouldn’t you be the rich, blessed and happy one, and I the poor, wretched and miserable one!?
I am interested to hear how you explain this dilemma!”
What could the poor servant say! He actually tended to agree with his master… He didn’t answer…
But the Lord was pushing him for one, obviously enjoying the moment:
“Come on, don’t be shy, answer me…”
The servant prayed silently to his God to help him silence his cheeky master!
At that moment, the lord drew his shotgun and started firing at a group of partridges that he had spotted. He was a good shot, and hit a good number of them.
He then sent his servant to collect them, and from afar shouted at him:
“Hey, you, pick up first those partridges there, those who are still alive, lest they manage to escape. The dead ones pick them last. Those ones can’t go anywhere…”
The servant did just as his master had ordered him.
He filled the sack he had with him with the game, and they headed back to the mansion.
Halfway there, the servant spoke to his master:
“Sir, shall I give you an answer to the question you asked me earlier?”
“Ah, yes”, said the lord, “let me hear…”
“Well”, said the servant, “ I believe that God sends his angels to gather mankind to him. They are to do whatever is necessary to help them repent, change their ways and start following his Son, Jesus Christ!
And God, watching his servants from above, shouts to them instructions just as you did earlier on with me. He tells them:
Hey, you, do not waste your time with those men whose hearts are hardened / dead so to speak.
Go after the tender hearted ones, concentrate on those who are open to change, and do whatever is needed to help them come to their good senses, that they may choose to pursue their eternal happiness more than their momentary earthly wellbeing. Bring them to their senses with calamities, sicknesses, sorrows, failures and whatever else will cause them to stop and think about the purpose of life…
As for those whose hearts are made out of stone, who take pleasure in their sinful and evil ways, don’t waste your time on them. Leave them alone. They will not repent…
They, unfortunately, will not escape their dreadful fate…”
Dear reader,
In what category of men do you fit in?
In the humble and soft-hearted ones or in the short sighted, earthly minded ones, those who choose to remain self centered and evil!
Take heed of what Jesus said:
“The road that leads to perdition is wide, and many are those who walk on it. But the gate that leads to God’s kingdom is narrow, and the road that leads to it is full of sorrows, and few are those who will keep on following it to the end…” (Matthew 7: 13-14)
According to these words of Jesus, most men are heading for…hell. Do not feel safe being in the crowd! As long as it is still time, take these words of Jesus to heart. Humble and soften your heart and change your way of thinking and living. Do not seek your happiness in this evil world, but work to get it in the next world, the eternal one.
Ask the Lord Jesus, in prayer, to come into your heart, that he may cleanse it and rule over you.
Study his Words in the New Testament and put them into practice.
Seek for the Truth of God only in the Bible, in the Words that Jesus uttered, and his Apostles wrote down.
Just as you find time to eat everyday, no matter how busy you may be, find time to feed yourself daily from the Words of Jesus, in the New Testament.
Put them into practice, and you will live an eternally blessed life in God’s kingdom.
Constantin Economides.