[365 words]
There was a king who had all his world could afford. The thing he loved most, however, was laughing.
Once, while being entertained, a jester came along wishing to join the festival of activities and perform for him. His opportunity came, and he put together the best amusing show he had ever done. The king never laughed so hard.
Once the activity was all over, the king wanted to hire this jester to be his jester. Once hired, the king in humor handed him a small rod and said, “You are the most foolish man alive. When you find someone more foolish than you, then you give them this rod.”
After many years had passed, the king lay sick on his deathbed, ready to go at any moment. He called for his jester, for he wanted to laugh one more time before he died. When the jester was through, he asked to speak to the king personally.
Once alone with the king, the jester asked, “King, where are you going?” The king responded, “On a far journey.” The jester asked again, “And how do you plan to get there?” Again, the king responded, “I don’t know.” Then the jester pulled the rod from his back pocket and handed it to the king. The king was stunned and asked why he had given him the rod. The jester replied, “King, today I have found a more foolish man than I. For you see, I only trifled with the things of life, but you have trifled with things of eternity!”
The Bible reminds us that eternal things deserve our total attention. Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 reads, “and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might.” Jesus is coming back! Have you obeyed the gospel? Or are you trifling with your eternity? Think about it!
Mark T. Tonkery
Norval Park Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH