The Slave, the Soldier, the Man, and the King
There was once a slave who worked for a wicked kingdom who had an evil king. He was born into this kingdom and his parents were slaves. It was simply accepted by the slave and slave drivers alike, as this kingdom spanned across the globe. But something happened.
One day, the slave born from the enslaved family fell into a deep dark pit. It was so dark there was no light and it the temperature was bone chilling. It was like a fire of ice flickering from the inside of one's blood. After a short while, despair hit the slave. He realized that no one would help him but he cried out for help anyways.
Suddenly, a light from above appeared. There was a face in the light, but it was too bright for the slave to be able to see in correct focus. It looked like a man he had heard about. A man who was told in 'children's tales' and depicted in ornamented and white buildings. A man who was supposed to be a myth...just like the gods of old. But this man, whoever he was, lowered a rope down in front of the slave. The slave desperately grabbed it and before he knew it, he was out of the abyss.
The slave eventually came to find out about his rescuer. The rescuer was a king...and not just a king, but the king of kings. "How can this be possible?" thought the former slave. He decided to learn as much as possible about this king and his kingdom.
As the former slave grew in knowledge and belief that this really was the 'mythical' king, he finally decided to ask the king questions and help. He needed to learn the rules of the new kingdom so he would not get kicked out. And so it was.
One day he asked a question about something which was accepted in the wicked kingdom for which he had been a slave for so many years. "If this is not right...please, let it rain on me...let it rain only on me..." The king answered and caused the clouds to open up. But it wasn't just a raining...it was a shower that followed the former slave as he walked. With unfettered joy the man said "This truly is the king of kings! He is who he said he is!"
Eventually the former slaved was conscripted into the kings army. How proud and thankful was the soldier. He donned his armor brightly and polished it every night. He learned how to use the sword masterfully. And when a threat was sent his way, it took little effort to cut it down.
The soldier felt he was ready for war. Ready to take on the enemy and the kingdom that had enslaved him for so long. He wanted to rid that kingdom of its slaves and help train new soldiers for the battle. He wanted to be a soldier of the king...of the great rescuer.
So off to battle went the soldier. He prevailed time and time again. But, somewhere along the way...he was tempted into a trap. He had seen those who were to be in battle along his side turn against him and side with the enemy. He had come to realize of the cost...and the true test of battle. He learned that war is still war and it is exhausting.
So, one day the soldier decided to remove his helmet and sit a while for rest. This proved foolish, as he was clubbed from behind by the enemy. The enemy dragged him off and while the soldier was conscious, his mind and vision was blurred from the strike. Eventually the enemy tried to re-enslave his captor. He brought out shackles for his wrists. Being a former slave, he knew what the shackles were and felt and old 'comfort' in those shackles. Still tired from the battle, he put out his hands and accepted his 'old' fate.
The enemy, thinking that he had won, had underestimated the soldier however...and especially his king. The king knew what would happen to the soldier, and had prepared him unknowingly. He had told him "I am with you, always". Remembering this, the soldier began to hate the shackles with such violence that he wanted to cut off his hands from his wrists just so he could escape them. But this is no easy task and the soldier instead decided to leave them on "Surely, someone will rescue me..." he thought.
But time went on and no rescue came. He found others who had been freed and re-captured there, and talked with them about the king, and about their situation, and about their fate. He then began to understand his purpose there and realized that with their combined strength, the shackles could be broken!
So together, they broke the shackles! During the chaos that ensued, the soldier found his armor and escaped and ran back to the kingdom alone. Beaten and bruised and wounded, and with the scars of the shackles, the soldier came back but didn't have the same enthusiasm for battle that he once did. He desired to be a man. He desired to settle down and have a family. He desired to find a new purpose in the kingdom, but he couldn't. He was a soldier.
He asked the king, "Can I please just be a man for while?" The king gave a response, you are wearing armor. A soldier wears armor." Sent back out into the battle, the soldier would leave and come back to ask the king the same question every once in a while, hoping for a different response, but would get none.
Finally, the soldier, in tears and in shame, took off his armor and went to the king and said..."Lord, I was captured in battle. I am not fit to be a soldier for you. The scars on my wrists...they are from the shackles when I was captured. I am not worthy to bear your armor. I am not strong enough to fight. Please, please, help me."
The king said, "Go, and tell the others in the kingdom what has happened. Go and help your brethren so that they will not make the same mistake. You may not be in the midst of battle, but there is still a war for the hearts and minds being waged against my people. I am still with you. And you are still, a soldier, but now, you are more than a soldier...you are a man of God."
One day, the slave born from the enslaved family fell into a deep dark pit. It was so dark there was no light and it the temperature was bone chilling. It was like a fire of ice flickering from the inside of one's blood. After a short while, despair hit the slave. He realized that no one would help him but he cried out for help anyways.
Suddenly, a light from above appeared. There was a face in the light, but it was too bright for the slave to be able to see in correct focus. It looked like a man he had heard about. A man who was told in 'children's tales' and depicted in ornamented and white buildings. A man who was supposed to be a myth...just like the gods of old. But this man, whoever he was, lowered a rope down in front of the slave. The slave desperately grabbed it and before he knew it, he was out of the abyss.
The slave eventually came to find out about his rescuer. The rescuer was a king...and not just a king, but the king of kings. "How can this be possible?" thought the former slave. He decided to learn as much as possible about this king and his kingdom.
As the former slave grew in knowledge and belief that this really was the 'mythical' king, he finally decided to ask the king questions and help. He needed to learn the rules of the new kingdom so he would not get kicked out. And so it was.
One day he asked a question about something which was accepted in the wicked kingdom for which he had been a slave for so many years. "If this is not right...please, let it rain on me...let it rain only on me..." The king answered and caused the clouds to open up. But it wasn't just a raining...it was a shower that followed the former slave as he walked. With unfettered joy the man said "This truly is the king of kings! He is who he said he is!"
Eventually the former slaved was conscripted into the kings army. How proud and thankful was the soldier. He donned his armor brightly and polished it every night. He learned how to use the sword masterfully. And when a threat was sent his way, it took little effort to cut it down.
The soldier felt he was ready for war. Ready to take on the enemy and the kingdom that had enslaved him for so long. He wanted to rid that kingdom of its slaves and help train new soldiers for the battle. He wanted to be a soldier of the king...of the great rescuer.
So off to battle went the soldier. He prevailed time and time again. But, somewhere along the way...he was tempted into a trap. He had seen those who were to be in battle along his side turn against him and side with the enemy. He had come to realize of the cost...and the true test of battle. He learned that war is still war and it is exhausting.
So, one day the soldier decided to remove his helmet and sit a while for rest. This proved foolish, as he was clubbed from behind by the enemy. The enemy dragged him off and while the soldier was conscious, his mind and vision was blurred from the strike. Eventually the enemy tried to re-enslave his captor. He brought out shackles for his wrists. Being a former slave, he knew what the shackles were and felt and old 'comfort' in those shackles. Still tired from the battle, he put out his hands and accepted his 'old' fate.
The enemy, thinking that he had won, had underestimated the soldier however...and especially his king. The king knew what would happen to the soldier, and had prepared him unknowingly. He had told him "I am with you, always". Remembering this, the soldier began to hate the shackles with such violence that he wanted to cut off his hands from his wrists just so he could escape them. But this is no easy task and the soldier instead decided to leave them on "Surely, someone will rescue me..." he thought.
But time went on and no rescue came. He found others who had been freed and re-captured there, and talked with them about the king, and about their situation, and about their fate. He then began to understand his purpose there and realized that with their combined strength, the shackles could be broken!
So together, they broke the shackles! During the chaos that ensued, the soldier found his armor and escaped and ran back to the kingdom alone. Beaten and bruised and wounded, and with the scars of the shackles, the soldier came back but didn't have the same enthusiasm for battle that he once did. He desired to be a man. He desired to settle down and have a family. He desired to find a new purpose in the kingdom, but he couldn't. He was a soldier.
He asked the king, "Can I please just be a man for while?" The king gave a response, you are wearing armor. A soldier wears armor." Sent back out into the battle, the soldier would leave and come back to ask the king the same question every once in a while, hoping for a different response, but would get none.
Finally, the soldier, in tears and in shame, took off his armor and went to the king and said..."Lord, I was captured in battle. I am not fit to be a soldier for you. The scars on my wrists...they are from the shackles when I was captured. I am not worthy to bear your armor. I am not strong enough to fight. Please, please, help me."
The king said, "Go, and tell the others in the kingdom what has happened. Go and help your brethren so that they will not make the same mistake. You may not be in the midst of battle, but there is still a war for the hearts and minds being waged against my people. I am still with you. And you are still, a soldier, but now, you are more than a soldier...you are a man of God."