THE SAVIOUR AND THE JUDGE

THE SAVIOUR AND THE JUDGE

A parable [story with a meaning]

Once, in a village in Ghana, there lived a young man called Solomon, who never worked. He stole all the things he needed.

One day he stole a man’s goat. Some people chased after him with sticks and stones trying to beat him. Solomon realized that the people were chasing him and he left the goat on the ground so that he could run faster.

Hidden

The chase continued until Solomon found a narrow path leading to an old man’s house. He reached the house and asked the old man to keep him safe. Solomon told him that some people were chasing him. The old man took Solomon to a room and shut the door.

When the people arrived, they asked him to bring the thief to them. But the old man said that there was no-one there. Because he was well known in the area and an important person, the people believed him and went home.

When they had left, the old man called Solomon and asked him why the people were chasing him. Solomon told his story and the old man, his saviour, said he must never steal things again.

Caught!

Some days later, Solomon went to the same village and stole a bag of rice. This time he was caught near the old man’s house. Solomon could not get in because the old man was not there. The people took Solomon to the police.

After a few weeks, Solomon was sent to the court. When he came into the court-room, Solomon was very happy. The judge was the same old man, his saviour. The charge was read to the judge, who asked the people to bring the bag of rice to him. He asked, “How many grains of rice are there in the bag?” The people said there were too many to count. The judge said, “You must go to the prison for the rest of your life.”

Solomon started to cry. He reminded the judge that only a short time ago he was his saviour. The judge told Solomon, “At that time I was your saviour, but now I am your judge.”

This story reminds us about Jesus. Now he is our ‘saviour’ because he came to the world to take the punishment that we should have for our wrong doings. Even though he did nothing wrong, he died the death of a criminal-someone who has broken the law. Jesus died in our place so he can be our saviour, just as the old man was Solomon’ saviour.

But one day, when we die, Jesus will be our judge. He will ask if we have turned away from wrong things and asked him to be our saviour. If we can answer ‘yes’, he will take us to his wonderful heaven to be with him for ever.