|
Live it out!
from Spurgeon, “Confession With The Mouth”
There was a Prince of right royal blood, who once upon a
time left his Father’s palace and journeyed into a distant part
of the king's dominions, where he was little known and
cared for. He was a true Prince, and he had about his face
those princely marks — that strange divinity which do mark
kings — that might have made the onlooker know that he
was right royal.
But when he came into the place, the people said, “This is the
heir to the throne; let us insult him, let us hoot him!” Others said
he was no heir at all. And they agreed to set him in the pillory.
As he stood there, every man did pelt him with all kinds of filth,
and used all manner of hard words towards him; and they said,
“Who dare acknowledge him for a Prince? Who dare stand by him?”
There stood up one from the crowd, and said, “I dare!”
They set him up in the pillory side by side with the Prince; and
when they threw their filth on the Prince it fell on him, and when
they spoke hard words of the Prince they spoke hard words of
him. He stood there, smiling, and received it all.
Now and then a tear stole down his cheek; but that was
for them, that they should thus ill-treat their sovereign.
Years went by, the king came into those dominions and subdued
them; and there came a day of triumph over the conquered city.
Streamers hung from every window, and the streets were strewn
with roses. Then came the king's troops dressed in burnished
armor of gold, with plumes upon their glittering helmets. The music
rang right sweetly, for all the trumpets of glory sounded. It was from
heaven they had come. The Prince rode through the streets in his
glorious chariot; and when he came to the gates of the city, there
were the traitors all bound in chains.
They stood before him trembling.
He singled out from among the crowd one man only who stood free
and unfettered, and he said to the traitors, “Do you know this man?
He stood with me in that day when you treated me with scorn and
indignation. He shall stand with me in the day of my glory.
Come up hither!” said he.
And amidst the sounding of trumpets and the voice of acclamation,
the poor, despised and rejected citizen of that rebellious city rode
through the streets in triumph, side by side with his King, who clothed
him in purple, and set a crown of pure gold upon his head!
There is the parable. Live it out!
|