~Written by Stephen McClelland. For more free teachings, visit his website by clicking here. Be greatly blessed and encouraged!
A very famous and rich man was going to die with no heirs. He knew his end would come soon, but he still had some time. Wanting to entrust his fortune and his great work to someone who would do good things with it he set out to find several capable individuals that had the potential to successfully manage his great fortune. He found four.
He sent each of them invitations to come and learn from him. Plain white paper within plain white envelopes. “My time is short. Please come and learn from me. I will sustain you and your family during your studies. Upon my death it must be that someone will assume my responsibilities.”
The first man received the letter. He spat and mocked the rich man’s word’s. “He lord’s his wealth over others even in his death. What arrogance he displays by thinking my contributions are not good and just without his instructions. I will not go. If he is a good man let his great wealth be distributed equally to all men and let them decide what is good for themselves.”
This man was ignorant, a word which comes from Greek, meaning to be without proper knowledge. He made incorrect assumptions on the intentions of the offer and of the character of the man offering. The rich man had selected him because of his good works and had intended to increase his understanding and ability to enrich the lives of others in a way far more valuable than simply giving them money.
The second man received the letter with joy. He wrote back, “While I mourn your end, we all must die. Nevertheless I applaud your life and generosity toward myself and others. Regretfully, important matters require my attention and I will not be able to attend to your instruction. If you have found me capable I would still accept your fortune and with it do my best to fulfill your wishes.”
The rich man crossed out his name. This man was an idiot, from the Greek word which means to be unlearned or without instruction. He could not have fulfilled the desire and responsibilities without proximity. Without instruction, how could he understand the purpose, the justifications, the motives, the passion, the proven methods? How could he take the place of a man without knowing the man whose place he would be taking?
The third and fourth man accepted the invitation and moved their families to be with the rich man. They lived together, ate together, traveled together, etc. The rich man spent every remaining day of his life pouring into them everything he knew. He considered his greatest riches to be that which he had inside him. His character, his wisdom, and his desire to serve others. He died leaving these to the two men, as well as all his earthly possessions.
The third man proved to be inobservant. He rejected some of the rich man’s teachings, preferring his own character and wisdom to that which he had learned. He proved unfruitful in fulfilling his position despite having knowledge and instruction. He chose not to follow another and to follow himself.
The fourth man was ridiculed by many for being an imitator of the rich man. “You act just like him. You’re trying to talk just like he talked; do you even try to walk just like him too? If we asked you your name, would you use his instead of your own?” But the fourth man didn’t care. He felt honored to be chosen. He was happy to live the rest of his life in the manner requested. The rich man had given him so much and this was all that he had asked for in return. He considered it the most wonderful bargain.
Have you not known of the goodness of Jesus? Then you are truly ignorant.
Have you accepted His invitation but are still unaware of how He instructed His followers to live? Then by the purest definition, you’re an idiot. Someone who has not been taught.
Have you been learning about Him but haven’t really applied it to your life? Another way to call someone inobservant is to call them a fool. The wisdom of proverbs says that a wise man will hear instruction and do it and become wiser still, while a fool will reject instruction and go his own way.
Finally, the word imitate actually comes from the Greek word for disciple. Are you trying to imitate Jesus, to be his disciple? It is also true that you might be ridiculed for it. Even the term “Christian” itself shows this. It means “little Christ” and was originally used as a way of mocking disciples because they were behaving like Christ Himself behaved.
Jesus preached the kingdom, and repentance. Jesus cast out devils and healed the sick. Jesus was connected with His Father in heaven and empowered by the Holy Spirit on earth. Didn’t His disciples also have and do these things?
Brothers and sisters, stop being students of Christ only. With love let me say: you were called to be imitators also.
Image by Adam Derewecki from Pixabay