The Faithful Servant

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1 Corinthians 13:4-7

In memory of my dad

 Once upon a time, a faithful servant lived in the Land of Love.  As a young man, he played in a band and entertained all the people in his King’s land.  During the day, off he would ride on his green two-wheeled stead, surveying all that his King had given him.  He would talk to the King, thanking him for the time and the talents that had been given. On one particular evening as he played the night away, a beautiful maiden caught his eye.  The lady and the faithful servant wed beginning a life that was creative and full, happily in the Land of Love.

They enjoyed one another laughing and planning each day under the hand of the King that they loved so much.  The King promised them that one day they would see His Kingdom and have everything in it if they would just believe in Him and become the laws of the land every day.  So, they agreed to serve Him and give Him all they had, both knowing that one day they would see this place that was promised to them.

One cold blizzard filled day the faithful servant and his bride were taken by surprise.  The husband and wife in the Land of Love welcomed their first born, a daughter. The faithful servant loved the little girl, as every good father should.  The daughter would dance for her father as he played his music in their home.  He would whittle her toys, and teach her to ride just as he.  He made her stilts and showed her how to use them.  He taught her to play and love music.  The faithful servant praised her, hugged her, and held her in his arms. He would puff out his cheeks and then let her pop them, just to make her giggle. He took her to the circus, parades, and parties. He taught her how to respect and care for all the King had given to them, he taught her how to obey the King, so that she too could one day be able to receive all the gifts the King had to give her.  But most importantly, he taught her to become the laws of the Land of Love

Every day off he would ride, preparing the future for his family in the Land of Love.  After his day of labor was done he would return with a smile and tell his family, “I talked to our King today, and I saw all that He made.”  The faithful servant never spoke an unkind word of anyone and with his beautiful bride standing firmly and loyally by his side they lived contentedly in the Land of Love.

Several years passed until the family of three became a family of four.  The faithful servant was now father to a son.  The father welcomed his son with arms open wide, excited to show him as well all that that King had prepared for him.  They were quite the pair, father and son, hiking, camping, and riding together.  The father trained the son, showed him how to be kind, respectful and strong. But most importantly, he taught him how to become the laws of the Land of Love

The faithful servant was pleased with his life.  What more could he want?  The faithful servant was so happy that he thanked the King and said, “Surely there must be something I can do for You!”

“Why yes,” the King replied. “The gifts I have given to you, you must give back to Me.”  With joy and willingness, the faithful servant knew what to do.  He found others in the land that loved the King and he played his music for them. He played songs that brought joy to the King, thanked the King, and praised the King.  When those in the land were taken to the Kingdom, the faithful servant would play his music for their family to make them remember the King and His love for them. Others wanted his music to be played for them too, so the faithful servant would play at their weddings and celebrations.  Everyone in the Land of Love loved the faithful servant.  He was kind to them all.  He helped them when they had needs, he encouraged and praised their youth, he fixed their two-wheeled steads and showed them how he was becoming the laws of the Land of Love, just as the King had asked him to do.

Winters and summers came for the faithful servant, and his children began to grow.  With humility and patience, and the lady by his side, he raised the two continuing to show them how to become the laws of love.  The son and the daughter made their father proud.  They sang, they played, they studied, and they prayed.  As the daughter grew older it became time for her to wed. So the faithful servant gave her to the man that she loved and loved her as much as he, but most of all because this new man promised to become the laws of love.

And then, the faithful servant and his wife entered into a new phase of life when two more were added to the family, for his daughter had become a mother.  First, there was a girl, and then a little boy, both who loved the faithful servant very much.  He had learned a new love that he had never experienced before, but as always he shared with them the ways in the Land of Love.  He showered them with gifts from bicycles to bows.  He gave them piggyback rides and showed them safety while riding on the roads.   He held them tightly, showed them magic tricks and laughed with their jokes.

The faithful servant’s son grew as well, called out to protect and serve the land.  He was away from the family, and sometimes it would make them so sad, but the faithful servant knew that his King would protect his son and bring him back to them.  Of course, the time came when the son would want to wed.  So he found a young girl and brought her to his dad.  She pleased the faithful servant and made him smile because he knew that here too was another that would help his son become the laws of love.

The faithful servant couldn’t be happier for his life. He had all he wanted.  Then one day, he kissed his wife and said goodbye, he set off on his two-wheeled stead thinking of his life on his way.  He praised the King and looked at all the land.  The faithful servant had been given everything as promised, he had happiness, and a life filled with joy.  Through his life the faithful servant had worked hard to become the laws of love, his bride saw it, his children saw it, the people of the land saw it, but most of all, the King saw it.

That day on his ride, the faithful servant did not come home, for you see the King had decided that his time in the Land of Love had come to end.  He had finished his task. His assignment was complete.  He had become the laws and taught his children to do so as well.  He had praised the King and shared his gifts with others.  His new home was ready, prepared especially for him! So the King took him back to his palace far away.  The faithful servant felt no pain, no sorrow or fear, for he now saw pure love in the arms of his King

At first this made the family very, very sad, but then they remembered the promise that had been made…the faithful servant was with their King! He had done what he had been asked and even shown them the way!  They too believed in this loving King, and would strive each day to do as the faithful servant had done! They would be just fine because the King loved them too!  He had made them the same promise for a new life in the Kingdom far away!  So the bride and the children continued to live peacefully in the Land of Love because they knew in their hearts that they would see the faithful servant one day in the Kingdom of the King so far away.

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