We call parables a small instructive story that reveals the meaning of life for us, instructs and usually makes us think about the right choice in a given situation. All parables are called to teach good. Real parables are distinguished by wisdom.
"Everything is in your hands" - the best eastern parables
Eastern parables can equally include both works of Arabic literature, and biblical parables, as well as Christian parables, which can be found a lot about ascetic deserts.
There is such a wonderful parable - "Everything is in your hands." It is retold in different ways, and the meaning may vary depending on some of the subtleties of the narrative. Let's get acquainted with one of the options, namely, in the Christian exposition.
Christian parable "Everything is in your hands"
He lived in solitude, in the desert one old man. With his virtuous life he acquired the grace of God, and people came to him from all sides for help: for advice, for a wise word, for comfort. Having received what was requested, the rumors about the kindness, wisdom and foresight of the old man left and spread around the world. The elder, however, did not consider himself that way, but in humility he referred himself to sinners.
In the same desert lived a monk who also led a hermit life, but no one came to him for advice. And the brother envied the old man and his glory among the people. He decided to undermine his authority and figured out how to catch the old man.
Monk caught a butterfly in the meadow. He came to the old man and, holding her in his palms, asked:
“Father, answer, is the butterfly alive or dead in my arms?”
The calculation of the monk was that if the elder said: “Alive,” then he would squeeze his hands and show a dead butterfly. If he answers: “Dead,” then letting go of the living butterfly, the monk will also show the old man’s wrongness.
However, the plan failed. Realizing the cunning, the elder sincerely prayed for the lost monk and answered him sadly:
- All in your hands.
Differences in presentation
The above parable in the Christian narrative has some subtlety. This feature is not in the widespread parable of "Everything is in your hands", when students come to the teacher to simply test his wisdom. Here there is a moment of the elder 's prayer for the lost monk, which very well characterizes the Christian understanding of the meaning of life.
If in the usual presentation of the parable “Everything is in your hands” we are dealing with the wisdom of a teacher who did not let himself be deceived by the students and taught them a lesson in life, then here we are presented with perfect wisdom. Neither fame, nor experience, nor perspicacity in themselves need the old man. He knew the true meaning of life and helps people not for the glory that the monk dreamed of. The true meaning is in the creation of good. Having prayed for the monk’s soul, the old man, as one wants to think, turned him on the true path.
The Christian parable "Everything is in your hands" not only shows that we ourselves build our life, choosing between good and evil, but also teaches what this good consists in. We ourselves choose the path of life or death, the path of a wise old man or the path of a lost monk. And it’s good if we are aware of this on the path of life.
Maybe the parable “Everything is in your hands” will become for us that old man’s prayer that will turn our hearts from vanity, envy and vanity to the Truth?