This simple fable touched my heart with the importance of taking the time to listen and to hear, and to not get so caught up in our everyday lives that we neglect those things that really matter.
Once upon a time there were five orphan children. They had no one to rely on, so they decided to band together and become a family. (Sort of sounds like the O’Malleys.) One day word came that the king had decided to adopt them, and he would come soon to collect them. The villagers went into an uproar to get ready for the king’s visit, and they told the children that they must prepare to impress the king. He would require a gift of some sort from them.
Each child set about perfecting their talents. One boy could carve beautiful things from wood. One girl could paint, and another could sing. The other boy was very clever and decided to learn all he could. The fifth child, the youngest girl, couldn’t do any of those things and so she believed that she had no special gift. She spent her time listening to others, helping them and being of service. But as the days grew shorter until the arrival of the king, she began to worry. What would she give to the king when he came?
She went to each of her brothers and sisters, asking them to teach her their special talent so she could have something to offer as well, but they were all too busy. They had become so consumed with preparation, they didn’t have time for her any more. So she returned to her habitual spot near the gate to talk with her friends.
One day a tired traveler entered the city gates, and she offered to water his donkey. The man gratefully accepted, and took the bench she offered. It was not long before he was fast asleep, and when he awoke, he found that she had curried the donkey as well. She was a good listener, and he appreciated the little visit he had with her.
He left her there at the gates, only to return a short time later. Everyone he had come to see was too busy for him, and she discovered that this was the king at long last. She was the only child who had taken the time to listen to him, and so he took her home with him. They would have to come back another time for the rest of the children and hope that by then, they would be ready to come.
This book made me think. I am frequently so busy rushing from one thing to the next that I forget to slow down, appreciate the things around me, and enjoy life. How many times has the King come to see me, and I have been too busy to receive Him? It’s not too late to make a New Year’s Resolution, I hope – and I resolve to open my ears and my heart a little wider this year.
(This book was published by Crossway Books in 1994, and was illustrated by Toni Goffe.)
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