The Old Man And The Wooden Bowl--The Lighthouse On The Corner Ministries

The Wooden Bowl

By Ed Crabtree, Rev. ULC
©2002 The Lighthouse On The Corner Ministries

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.

Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions whenever he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with some wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.----------------------------Isn't that a great story, one that is truly emblematic of "The Golden Rule, DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU." All far too often many of us fail to follow the rule until we are faced with the prospect of having to accept being treated as we have treated others, not just our infirm elderly, but everyone from all walks of life. No one wants to be DONE AS WE HAVE DONE OTHERS, especially when we have falsely accused or adjudged others, or voiced intolerance of their way of life, faith, or ideology.

Another adage comes to mind, "NEVER JUDGE ANOTHER MAN UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED A MILE IN HIS MOCCASINS." In today's hectic world we are quick to pass judgment based on superficial observation or based on rumor and innuendo and not on thorough consideration and examination of the facts. We fail to use the gift of reasoning that our dear Heavenly Father, who created the heavens and the Earth gave us, to think for ourselves, determine right from wrong and set an example for our young as well as those who need our help to find Christ's message of salvation.

I pray that as Christians, we can go forth and demonstrate through our leadership and example, to our co-employees, our families, friends, and neighbors, just as Faith is key to true salvation, knowledge and works are just as important. Everyone must have knowledge that Christ never inculcated intolerance and hate of others, but rather understanding.

It is human nature to fear that which we do not or cannot understand, it is human nature to hate when intolerance is subliminally subjected upon us through rumor, innuendo, and propaganda, all intended to divide us from our fellow mankind by those who would seek to control us just to further their personal agenda.

In almost all communities, there is someone different, a person that might be a loner, perhaps choosing to avoid fellowship with the community at large, a person whose actions might invoke a degree of mystery about them. And how many times have you witnessed someone else who sought to enhance his or her own standing in the community by starting or spreading a malicious or hurtful rumor about the social pariah or outcast. The rumor spreading like wildfire throughout the community due to ignorance and fear of the unknown. And in some cases the rumor even escalating into blatant hate.

Today we see clerics, who would mislead their followers by misinterpreting their religion's teachings and calling for Holy war, not just only in the Moslem world but also from the Christian pulpit, ministers fanning and fueling the fires of hate and intolerance. We see politicians using innuendo that ruins their opponent's life just to garner votes. We see neighbors who just want to feel important, spread terrible lies about other neighbors, lies that destroy the innocent, and divide the community. Many of us shun public service, as we don't want our lives to be an open book, fearing that those with little or no scruples will victimize our reputation and family, none of us want to be treated like the social outcast, rumors flying about. So why do we as a society do unto others unjustly not as we would have others do unto us?

We must through our works, demonstrate that our society must use knowledge to arrive at an understanding, before passing judgment on those whose culture, religion, denomination, or ideology, seems different than that of our own. Use knowledge and understanding to avoid hate, prevent war, and prevent the destruction of God's children.

The parents sent the message to the child that the elderly, when age has taken it's toll, should be fed from a wooden bowl, only to realize that they did not want to be treated in the same manner in which they were treating the Grandfather. Their subliminal example being less than what they truly wanted the child to follow, one that would establish precedence for him to treat them. We must teach our fellow man not to discriminate against those we don't understand, those that we fear from our own ignorance of them as well as their ignorance of us, separating them and feeding them at a table less than ours from a wooden bowl.

If we develop an understanding of our fellow man, then we can develop means by which to develop and build the relationship that Christ wanted us to all to have with our fellow human kind. Our works being that which Christ himself inculcated his followers to do, uniting all who know Christ as their savior, uniting all the children of God, preparing the way for Christ's triumphant return.