The Four Sons
A father had 4 sons.
He loved each son equally and gave each of them what they needed. Equal mercy. Equal grace.
The sons, however, did not have an equal relationship with their father. Two of the sons spent a portion of each day talking to their father. Over time, they grew to understand their father and, as a result, they increased in wisdom as well. The other two sons did not take time for their father at all.
One day, a quarrel broke out in the nearby city. Many were angry and upset. The two sons who loved their father went into the city to see what all the commotion was. To their dismay, they saw their other two brothers leading an angry mob.
Pulling their brothers aside, the wise brothers questioned their siblings.
"What are you doing?" they asked.
"We have seen great sin and we have come to set these people straight!" the foolish brothers said.
The wise brothers looked at each other in disbelief and said, "Do you not know, dear brothers, that you represent our household?"
"Of course, we know. In fact, we come in our father's name!" the men answered.
The wise brothers, shocked and grieved, urged their other brothers to go to their father's house at once and ask their father directly if this was his desire for them.
But, the foolish brothers refused, saying, "Do you think we do not know what our father thinks and wishes? There is no need for us to go and ask."
But, before they could even finish their sentence, they looked up and saw their father approaching.
"Father!" the foolish brothers exclaimed. "We are here to do your will!"
The father, looking at his foolish sons, and said, "If you had known my heart, you would know not to proclaim condemnation, but rather Great Mercy."
He loved each son equally and gave each of them what they needed. Equal mercy. Equal grace.
The sons, however, did not have an equal relationship with their father. Two of the sons spent a portion of each day talking to their father. Over time, they grew to understand their father and, as a result, they increased in wisdom as well. The other two sons did not take time for their father at all.
One day, a quarrel broke out in the nearby city. Many were angry and upset. The two sons who loved their father went into the city to see what all the commotion was. To their dismay, they saw their other two brothers leading an angry mob.
Pulling their brothers aside, the wise brothers questioned their siblings.
"What are you doing?" they asked.
"We have seen great sin and we have come to set these people straight!" the foolish brothers said.
The wise brothers looked at each other in disbelief and said, "Do you not know, dear brothers, that you represent our household?"
"Of course, we know. In fact, we come in our father's name!" the men answered.
The wise brothers, shocked and grieved, urged their other brothers to go to their father's house at once and ask their father directly if this was his desire for them.
But, the foolish brothers refused, saying, "Do you think we do not know what our father thinks and wishes? There is no need for us to go and ask."
But, before they could even finish their sentence, they looked up and saw their father approaching.
"Father!" the foolish brothers exclaimed. "We are here to do your will!"
The father, looking at his foolish sons, and said, "If you had known my heart, you would know not to proclaim condemnation, but rather Great Mercy."
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