An Allegory of Faith

Once upon a time, there was a man named John, but he went by the name Joe. One rainy afternoon, Joe was visiting a museum. He saw the most beautiful purple necklace. Then on Halloween, Joe came back and stole the amethyst heart necklace that belonged to the first queen. Then on Thanksgiving, he snuck into the closed museum and stole a bright green emerald ring that the current queen of England donated to the museum because her daughter died and it was too sad to look at. Then on Christmas, he snuck into the castle and stole a 99-pound piece of the king’s gold. He stole an opal heart necklace belonging to a duchess, Lady Rose, on Valentine’s Day. Joe/John led a sorry life, didn’t he? It was sure to get worse as he kept on stealing, but his life was about to be changed.

Joe/John was caught stealing a beautiful cross that was made out of opals, pearls, emeralds, gold, amethysts, and a bright red ruby heart in the middle of the cross. He was stealing it from his neighbors, Mr. Christian and Mrs. Christiana Faith.

Christian said, “Come back here,” gently, and Joe/John, feeling like he had no choice, but dreading it immensely, went back to the house. Christiana gently pulled his mask off and gasped when she realized it was their young neighbor, John.

The Faiths asked him, “John, what are you doing?”

Joe/John mumbled, “Sorry,’’ and kept his eyes on the ground.

Then Christian looked at the clock and said to his wife, “Christiana, it’s almost time for the Good Friday service at church. Should we invite John? He’s already wearing black.”

Christiana replied, “Yes, we should!”

During the service Joe/John could not believe his ears when he heard that Jesus died to forgive his sins. He cried when he heard that Jesus died on the cross and rejoiced during the Easter service when he heard Jesus rose from the dead.

That basically changed Joe/John’s life. He became a Christian, stopped going by Joe, and started going by John. John stopped stealing and gave everything he took back, and when the Faiths gave him the cross he stole, he started to cry. From then on John lived a better life and still is.

Proverbs 14:22
Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.