Once upon a time, not too very long ago, there was a gracious and kind King. He had many daughters and sons, and a great many more subjects in His Kingdom. To each and every one of His children and subjects He gave many copper coins. Each morning as they awoke, they found handfuls of coins ready and waiting for them. As they went through the day, they used the coins for everything they needed. As we look into the Kingdom we see a gray-haired plump fellow spending many of his coins on luxurious, scrumptious, aromatic food. A young woman spends almost all her gold on colorful silks and fashionable clothes that fill closets full. There is a young man spending away on impressing the ladies, feeding his pleasures. Some of these are the King's own children, some are only His subjects to the point where it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the two except for the fact that the children go home to the King's own palace.The king has instructed all of His children how to use their coins. He has warned them against waste, encouraged them to share with others, and shown by His own example exactly how to use these coins. If they try to hoard the gold, they discover that the coins not used that day will be gone, dissolved completely away by the next day. Many try desperately to discover a way to replicate the coins, spending many from their daily quota discussing, researching, testing ways to either retain or copy the precious treasure. But year after year no one is able to keep or produce coins - only the King Himself.
So the game plan of all of His subjects, and most of His children, is how to spend the coins to accumulate things that can be traded for more coins the following day, without taking time to reflect that no matter how many possessions they surround themselves with they cannot buy and keep a single coin for more than a day. A few, too very few, realize the futility of the game and ponder on why the King bestows on them the coins at all. Why would a loving - bountifully loving - Father shower them with coins that only He can create every time their eyes open? Why does He bestow on them such abundance when they do not even take the time to consider it a gift? So these few, as they look carefully at these coins, discover them more valuable than their minds and heart can comprehend. That is when those few finally begin to stop and on a rare occasion thank the King for His gifts. After a short while of genuinely Thanking Him they begin to study His manual more to see what He wants them to do with the currency. They look at His example of how He Himself uses these pieces of money and discover He gives away everything He has an opportunity to give. Some ask Him what he wants in return, never believing it is free, no strings attached. Some ask for more than they were already given, greedily searching for a way to discover the unknown secret to hoard the precious cash. But the few, finally by reading and watching, discover that they desire to follow His example by giving away their gold. They spend it to share this wonderful secret of the King's with those who are playing the game around them. And finally they realize the stark truth that what they get in exchange is far greater than what they had given away.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Eph. 5: 15-17
