Parable

There was once a kingdom who sometimes forgot what they were born to do. They forgot too often and remembered too slowly.

One day their forgetfulness was seen in the fear of a giant who made his stand in the middle of a valley. This giant stood daily in the middle of the valley, for the shadow of valleys are where giants wax strong, and defied the courage of the forgetful kingdom. The kingdom shrank back from the defying giant for they feared to try and slay such as he and they feared to walk through the valley of shadow.

There was once a young poet who was charged by his father to take courage alone in faraway valleys. He was charged by his father to kill lion and bear with only such tools as a poet might have. So he learned to trust his father’s command when he was alone and no one else saw.

One day this poet was sent by his father to the valley of Elah to strengthen his brothers and he saw the giant yet defying the kingdom and his anger was kindled and he said aloud; “Who is this giant to defy this kingdom, a kingdom well able to slay such as he? For my father I killed both lion and bear this giant will be like one of these!” He went forth with the tools to kill lion and bear, only such tools as a poet might have. He did not fear the valley of shadow, for he had walked through dark valleys before, and he slew the giant like the lion and bear with the unimpressive tools of his father’s command.

The forgetful kingdom saw this and then they remembered that they were well able to slay such as he, and they feared no longer the valley off shadow, and in their new courage they charged boldly forward and won a great victory for then they remembered that this is what they were born to do.

Such is the Father’s call of a Christian poet.

Vernon L Harper