Christian Short Stories

Once upon a time, there was one King who was known amongst all his citizens to be the only worthy ruler. His fame could not be enclosed but spread amongst the whole world. One person to another, one house to its neighbors, one city to its next. The tales of his wisdom and virtue were amongst all people and even reached the ears of a distant king.

This distant king, upon hearing of the worthy ruler, became consumed with the desire to be called “worthy” as well. After all, his subjects referred to him as the “fat King” behind his back, and there is nothing he could have done about it. He imagined himself being hailed as "the worthy" and could not shake off the thought.

Unfortunately, he couldn't discover how to get this title, and so it came to pass that in his pursuit, he adorned himself in the finest regal attire and gathered his men to embark on a journey to the mysterious land of the worthy King.

And so, they went off. The infantry marched forward, clad in heavy, clanging armor that brought them more pain than glory. Following closely were the proud horsemen, donning majestic peacock feathers on their helms and wielding golden shields that glistened under the sun. The King's luxurious coach, crafted with carvings and adorned with gold, trailed behind, pulled by six exhausted horses struggling to keep up with the walking speed. Inside the coach, the fat king, weary from the hard journey, peered through a small slot, his eyes filled with weariness and uncertainty. Together, they traversed hills and valleys, enduring the rocky terrain, passing by bewildered farmers and villagers along the way.

Finally, they went through the gates of the great city of the worthy King, where its citizens gathered in astonishment at the sight before them. The foot soldiers had shed their burdensome armor. The riders, forced to walk or share horses with others, their pride wounded, joined the weary soldiers in their frustration. They all had to push and pull the heavy coach their way up the last, highest hill toward the castle of the worthy King.

As the fat king finally emerged from his coach, he was taken aback by the lack of followers and the absence of guards at the open gates. Uncertain, but determined, he stepped forward and entered the magnificent hall.

There was one great red carpet spanning from the main entrance all the way to the Throne, which was at the end of the hall lifted high above, with seven great white marble steps leading towards it. Above and all around the majestic throne were great colorful windows with pictures on them, telling the ancient creation story of their nation emerging out of chaos, shining in glory like the sun. And towards the Throne on both sides were high but slim windows with more ancient stories to tell.  But the more surprising thing was, that on the left and right side of the throne were 12 smaller thrones each. Also, in front of the throne there was a giant bowl what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. And what was most shocking of all was that on the King's throne, was the King's crown laid aside.

Confusion filled his mind as he hesitantly called out, "Hello? Is anyone here?"

The hall remained silent, as if time stood still. The fat king's heart raced, and his discomfort grew with each passing moment. Overwhelmed with confusion, he retreated into the sunlight, determined to find the worthy King.

"Hey, you!" he called out to a passing peasant. "Where is your King?"

The peasant, taken aback by the king's brusque voice, examined the fat king curiously. "Our King? He's probably helping my neighbor in the workshop. And who might you be?" the peasant asked politely. 

Taking a deep breath and superficially lowering his voice, the fat King proclaimed, "I am the great king, the emperor, the ruler," while hoping to command respect. 

"Ah, I see," the peasant responded, and looked at him with a friendly smile. "Well, I'm heading home anyway, and can send him to you, if you want.”

With a rough voice, the King commanded, “I'll be waiting in front of the Kingdom's hall, so be quick."

Having to wait on top of the hill, the fat king finally started to observe his surroundings more closely. There was a beautiful fountain with crystal-clear water that sparkled in the sunlight, surrounded by bright, flat stones. Mountains rose in the distance, and the city flourished beneath, filled with white little houses topped with orange roofs. Each house held a family where they shared everything they had, filling the air with unity and peace. Up until this very moment, he was constantly in a rush, doing nothing, but striving for a higher reputation. How can there be so much peace in just observing the picturesque landscape with its little fields and forests? The air resonated with the harmonious sounds of a contented city, while his eyes thoughtfully observed every detail.

"Welcome," said a sudden voice and interrupted his thoughts. It came from a tall man approaching him. "We didn't expect such a wonderful surprise today." His warm brown eyes and long hair accentuating his gentle yet powerful presence. The fat king felt a mixture of astonishment and confusion.  "Are these your men?" the worthy King inquired, observing the soldiers lying around in various stages of undress. Some slept, others sat in circles, sharing laughter and crude jokes. 

The fat king, attempting to justify their appearance, replied hesitantly, "Yes, I brought them for protection...it was a rough journey. But I have come here to learn how you became the one called, 'The Worthy King', because your fame has spread to the ends of the earth."

The eyes of the great King gazed thoughtfully into the distance, then he said, "Come inside. I want to show you something."

So, they entered the magnificent castle, proceeding down the grand hall along the red carpet. The worthy King ascended the steps to the throne, took the King's crown, and brought it to the fat King. "Do you see this crown?" he asked, displaying the magnificent artifact. "This is the King's Crown. Whoever wears it, is the King, and the whole kingdom belongs to him."

The fat king, still confused, interjected eagerly, "Yes, of course, I see it! I left mine at home. Is that the answer? Do I become the worthy king simply by wearing an expensive crown?"

The worthy King smiled again. Then he approached one of the high windows on the side of the grand hall, opened it, and threw the crown out into the world below.

Shocked, the fat king rushed to the window, peering anxiously downward. The crown had disappeared, rolling down the hill and into the city, among the people. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" the fat king exclaimed; his voice filled with panic. 

But the worthy King, with a kind smile, replied, "Let us wait a moment, and we will see what happens."

A few moments later, there was a knock at the wooden door.  A peasant, unsure but respectful, held the crown in his hands.  "My King, you must have lost this. I have found it...accidentally.  I have washed off the dust, dried it, and now returned it to you.  For it is yours, and you are our King."

God doesn’t cling to his Power.
Out of Love he gave his only Son all the power, on Heaven and on Earth.
In every free will.

Christ, being the same as the Father, let himself fall
into the Hands of God.
in the belief that He will resurrect him from the dead.

And then, when we will be there, up high above,
we will take our crowns, voluntarily, and throw them at his feet,
because we are not worthy to bring it to him.
And He will stand up and give them back to us.
And He would want to give us his own crown too.
(John 17:22 Rev 3:21 Rev 21:7)

…when he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
1 Cor 15:28

When we look at history, the parts that stand out the most are the dark tyrannies. 99% voted for Hitler; Stalin made the whole Ukraine a prison and starved them; and Mao in China killed 78 million people. How can we prevent future tyrannies? How should a perfect regime look? And how should one live one's own life?

"The Worthy King" should inspire people to live with love as servants. He doesn't need to protect his throne with violence, because they all want him to be their King.

The story is a parable for God. His will that I live by love is better for me than my own egoistic will. He has proven his love on the cross and is therefore the only worthy King.

The story ends abruptly, not disclosing whether the fat king would become a servant or not, because it is written for the reader to think about himself. Some will want to apply it, others won't.

(© 2023 David Rass – All rights reserved. Written material may not be duplicated without permission.)

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