The Poor Master

Figuring it was safe to linger a little, the master wandered through the halls where he saw great statues and busts of warn bronze -warmed by glowing glass lanterns hanging in their high arched wood surroundings. 

Yet in all these earthly treasures, the delight of the eye did not hinder him from his companions.  For the master knew what it felt like to be worrisome of other people‘s whereabouts and did not want to burden others with his.  He joined them in a room beside a marble stairway. 

Inside the queen spoke of the jewels that were being shown to her but before the master could hear what had been spoken a gruff voice charged at him from the shadows, “And how is it a stupid looking fool like yourself that is good for nothing be with such companions?”

The master turned to see an old man who was overseer of the room, “I suppose it is by the grace of God, that I am.” 

The humble response gave no reason for the old man to reply and the master joined his companions but for some reason the stranger’s question was like a hard heavy shard of sharp medal that had fallen into the depths and slid from one shelf to another until it struck the master’s soft heart and echoed something terrible back.

It wasn’t apparent how troubling these words were until their business was completed and they exited the great hall where their horses were awaiting.

Everyone saddled, the master saddled his own horse and hanging his head a little he spoke the rusty words that came from the haul of his soul, “You don’t think I am stupid fool do you?  I am of some use to you aren’t I?” 

His companions looked at him, “You are no fool nor a stupid fool.  And of course we are in need of your services,” they replied.

The master wondered how this was true.  They had a map.  They didn’t seem to have any problem handling themselves in large or small crowds.   All the master did was pack and haul their possessions and keep them away from certain establishments.  They could have done this all on their own.

The queen, only looking down the road said, “Don’t let that man’s words get to you.”

For the rest of the trip the master remained quiet but his brain was not for it busily dug through dusty pages thought to be forgotten and lost.

When they arrived at hilltop.  He unloaded their things and when out to the garden.    

There he sifted through the pages that his memory had put aside and like slow leak in a ship he swallowed each and every one of them until tears came from the creases of his eyes and down his cheeks.  He remembered all the flickers of chastisement.   He remembered being told he wasn’t good enough, smart enough or handsome enough.   Acidic memories smoldered in the master’s mind.    He worked three times as hard as anyone yet for some reason it was never good enough.   “NEVER GOOD ENOUGH,” seemed to be the theme through the pages of the master’s life.   He was stripped of everything…. He was a man labeled a master but was poor in the sights of this world.   He was just a simple caretaker.  He was a… nobody.

That night he crawled inside his bunk.  Not a word fell from his lips in the moonlight.  He let the peaceful quiet blanket him until he was fast asleep.

It wasn’t until the next day when he then remembered something that walloped the curtains of darkness and a reminding light came… not saying he forgot the pain but like two oars gracing the water, he began to row in the truth of the light he been shown and out from what was there to shipwreck him in the darkness. 

We all come into this world with nothing and leave this world with nothing.

And when the day comes… the master knew he would walk through that small gate and grab hold of the hand that awaits for him and they we will run as if never had run before up that tall grassy hill to see what awaits on the other side in the bright happy yellow light.

“No one is good enough” and only faith in Jesus Christ makes it so we can enter heaven. It won’t be our earthly achievements, our earthly failures, our abilities, or job titles or our looks that get us into heaven.   It will be Jesus Christ.