Sharing the Savior’s Story

How Much is Enough? I

An old Japanese parable tells of a man by the name of Tasuku, a poor man who scrimped out a livelihood by cutting blocks of stone from the base of a mountain. One day a well-dressed prince passed by. Tasuku envied the prince and wished that he could have the kind of security that a prince’s wealth could offer. If he had that security, Tasuku reasoned, he could truly be thankful. According to the legend, Tasuku’s wish was heard and he was miraculously made a prince.

Tasuku, for the first time in his life, felt secure. He had guards. He had an army. He could give thanks. That secure feeling lasted … not more than a few hours. It lasted until the sun came out, and with great intensity beat down upon Tasuku’s guards and army. Soon his men were suffering from the heat and falling by the wayside. Tasuku no longer felt secure. He could not give thanks. No, he wanted to be secure and strong like the sun. His wish was heard.

Tasuku became the sun. He could dry up the fields, scorch the crops, send folks searching for shade. Tasuku was secure; now he could give thanks. But then a storm cloud covered him. He became sad. He made another wish, was granted another change. He became a great cloud, having the power to send storms and floods upon the land.

Now, Tasuku was secure. Now he could be thankful. But his time of thanksgiving was interrupted when he saw a mountain had remained untouched by his storms. So Tasuku wished and became the mountain.
Now he was secure. Now he could give thanks. He could be thankful forevermore. And he was … until he felt the chisel of a simple stonecutter chipping at his base. Tasuku never found thanksgiving because he never found security for his heart.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour broadcast of: November 23, 2003