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mapsedgeEventually, it's going to come up. One of my cousins is going to ask, "Hey, we haven't seen you at church in, like, forever. What's up?" When one of the cousins is the former pastor, that can get uncomfortable really quick.
So, I've tried to find a concise answer, to have an answer ready when the time comes. What I came up with was a parable.
A certain man took his family to go and find a place to have a meal. They came upon a man who was to all appearances a seller of food, since he had a table laden with a meal. He called out to the man, saying "Come, eat. For here is nourishment."
The man looked around for some sign that the man was a seller of food. Seeing none, he asked, "Why hangest thou not a sign, telling of the food that thou offerest?" And the seller answered him, saying, "My food is better than the food of the other sellers, and if I hang a sign others may think I am one of them."
The man brought his wife and children to the table. The food was exceeding rich, and his children could not eat of it. He asked, "Is there no food for my children? They cannot eat of this rich fare that thou hast given me and my wife." And the seller answered him, saying, "No, they must learn to eat this food eventually. Let them eat of it now, for though it make them ill they will quickly grow accustomed to it."
Then the man said, "Is there another table where my children may sit? These chairs are too tall, and I cannot eat because of the fuss they make." And the seller answered him, saying, "No, they must learn to sit at this table eventually. Let them sit at it now, for though you cannot eat they will quickly grow accustomed to it."
So the man settled his family around. When they reached for the plate of food, the seller quickly thrust a box of herbs under their hands. "What is this?" the man asked. "These are herbs. They compliment the food, and increase its savor. Behold, the food is inedible without them."
The man looked at the herbs, and they seemed to him fine herbs for the seller, but not for his family. He said, "Those herbs may be as good as thou sayest, but my family will not partake of them." The seller cast the family out, saying, "Then thou mayest not partake of my food. Without these herbs is no food complete. Take thy children and go, for thou shalt surely starve."
The man took his family and moved on. Soon they came to a table laden with food. Over it was a sign, inviting all to come and eat. They all approached the table and moved to sit down, when the seller said unto the man, "Forgive me, but those chairs are too tall for thy children. Would they like a place of their own to sit?"
The man was astonished, and said unto him, "Yea, let them sit where they are comfortable."
The seller led the children a little pace away, where a small table was set for them. The man grew concerned, and said unto the seller, "Will they eat of this food?" "No, " said the seller, "that food is too rich. The food on their own table is for their nourishment, and little time will they have to partake of it for they will grow up fast. For now, this is theirs: they will learn to eat of your food soon enough."
The man reached for the food, expecting the sudden appearance of a box of herbs. When the seller stood, unmoving, happy to have served the meal, the man asked, "Are there no herbs?" And the seller answered him, saying, "Herbs there are if thou wantest them, but this food is sufficient unto itself."
The man ate. His wife ate. His children ate. And lo, they were nourished.
So, I've tried to find a concise answer, to have an answer ready when the time comes. What I came up with was a parable.
A certain man took his family to go and find a place to have a meal. They came upon a man who was to all appearances a seller of food, since he had a table laden with a meal. He called out to the man, saying "Come, eat. For here is nourishment."
The man looked around for some sign that the man was a seller of food. Seeing none, he asked, "Why hangest thou not a sign, telling of the food that thou offerest?" And the seller answered him, saying, "My food is better than the food of the other sellers, and if I hang a sign others may think I am one of them."
The man brought his wife and children to the table. The food was exceeding rich, and his children could not eat of it. He asked, "Is there no food for my children? They cannot eat of this rich fare that thou hast given me and my wife." And the seller answered him, saying, "No, they must learn to eat this food eventually. Let them eat of it now, for though it make them ill they will quickly grow accustomed to it."
Then the man said, "Is there another table where my children may sit? These chairs are too tall, and I cannot eat because of the fuss they make." And the seller answered him, saying, "No, they must learn to sit at this table eventually. Let them sit at it now, for though you cannot eat they will quickly grow accustomed to it."
So the man settled his family around. When they reached for the plate of food, the seller quickly thrust a box of herbs under their hands. "What is this?" the man asked. "These are herbs. They compliment the food, and increase its savor. Behold, the food is inedible without them."
The man looked at the herbs, and they seemed to him fine herbs for the seller, but not for his family. He said, "Those herbs may be as good as thou sayest, but my family will not partake of them." The seller cast the family out, saying, "Then thou mayest not partake of my food. Without these herbs is no food complete. Take thy children and go, for thou shalt surely starve."
The man took his family and moved on. Soon they came to a table laden with food. Over it was a sign, inviting all to come and eat. They all approached the table and moved to sit down, when the seller said unto the man, "Forgive me, but those chairs are too tall for thy children. Would they like a place of their own to sit?"
The man was astonished, and said unto him, "Yea, let them sit where they are comfortable."
The seller led the children a little pace away, where a small table was set for them. The man grew concerned, and said unto the seller, "Will they eat of this food?" "No, " said the seller, "that food is too rich. The food on their own table is for their nourishment, and little time will they have to partake of it for they will grow up fast. For now, this is theirs: they will learn to eat of your food soon enough."
The man reached for the food, expecting the sudden appearance of a box of herbs. When the seller stood, unmoving, happy to have served the meal, the man asked, "Are there no herbs?" And the seller answered him, saying, "Herbs there are if thou wantest them, but this food is sufficient unto itself."
The man ate. His wife ate. His children ate. And lo, they were nourished.