The Tale Of Two Farmers
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle B
Object:
The Tale Of Two Farmers
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (vv. 28-31)
Once there were two neighbors who farmed together. They equally shared in all of the work and equally split the grain. However, one of the neighbors was married and had a large family. The other neighbor was single.
One day the single neighbor thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. My neighbor has many mouths to feed, and I only have one. He needs more grain to feed his family. I know what I will do, I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my neighbor's granary." So each night when it was dark, he carefully carried a sack of grain, placing it in his neighbor's barn.
Now the married neighbor thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. I have many children to care for me in my old age, and my neighbor has none. He needs more grain for security in his retirement. I know what I will do. I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my neighbor's granary." And he did this nightly without fail.
Each morning the two neighbors were amazed to discover that though they had removed a sack of grain the night before, they had just as many as before. However, one night they met each other halfway between their barns, each carrying a sack of grain. The mystery of the reappearing grain sacks was solved as they discovered and understood how each cared for each other. The two neighbors embraced with joy.
Tradition says that God looked down from heaven, saw the two neighbors embracing, and said, "I declare this to be a holy place, for I have witnessed extraordinary love here." That very sight was chosen for Solomon's temple.
Love is a verb. It is something that we do. These two neighbors didn't love each other in theory only. They lived it by their actions. As the story tells us, loving our neighbor pleases God -- who scripture tells us is the embodiment of love. It is God who teaches us unselfish, unconditional love. And it is God's love that helps us to love ourselves and also ties us to our neighbor in love.
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (vv. 28-31)
Once there were two neighbors who farmed together. They equally shared in all of the work and equally split the grain. However, one of the neighbors was married and had a large family. The other neighbor was single.
One day the single neighbor thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. My neighbor has many mouths to feed, and I only have one. He needs more grain to feed his family. I know what I will do, I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my neighbor's granary." So each night when it was dark, he carefully carried a sack of grain, placing it in his neighbor's barn.
Now the married neighbor thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. I have many children to care for me in my old age, and my neighbor has none. He needs more grain for security in his retirement. I know what I will do. I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my neighbor's granary." And he did this nightly without fail.
Each morning the two neighbors were amazed to discover that though they had removed a sack of grain the night before, they had just as many as before. However, one night they met each other halfway between their barns, each carrying a sack of grain. The mystery of the reappearing grain sacks was solved as they discovered and understood how each cared for each other. The two neighbors embraced with joy.
Tradition says that God looked down from heaven, saw the two neighbors embracing, and said, "I declare this to be a holy place, for I have witnessed extraordinary love here." That very sight was chosen for Solomon's temple.
Love is a verb. It is something that we do. These two neighbors didn't love each other in theory only. They lived it by their actions. As the story tells us, loving our neighbor pleases God -- who scripture tells us is the embodiment of love. It is God who teaches us unselfish, unconditional love. And it is God's love that helps us to love ourselves and also ties us to our neighbor in love.
