The Parable of the Legalistic Steward

The owner of an orchard left instructions for his steward, "Do not allow anyone to pick fruit from the tree in the center of the orchard while I am away on my journey."

The steward thought how best to follow these instructions. He decided to make a sign to post near the tree. It read, "Do not pick fruit from this tree."

The next day the steward went out to survey the orchard. He saw several children playing tag around the tree, and one little boy sitting on one of the low-reaching branches. The steward was alarmed, "Children! Away! We must not disturb the fruit of this tree!"

The steward decided to build a fence around the tree and he hung a sign on it that read, "Do not go inside the fence."

The next day, as the steward surveyed the orchard, he found a worker leaning against one of the fence's posts as he rested from his work. A branch from the tree hung over the fence near the worker's head. The steward was alarmed, "Get away from there! We must not touch this tree!"

The steward decided to build another fence around the first one, and he hung a sign on it that read, "Do not touch the fence."

The next day, as the steward surveyed the orchard, he saw the workers picking fruit from trees near the fence. As he watched, an apple fell from one of the trees and landed inside the outer fence. The steward was alarmed, "Go pick elsewhere! We must not risk touching the fence!"

The steward decided to send the workers home and close the gates to the orchard.

The next week the owner of the orchard returned from his journey. He found his gates closed, his workers gone, and unpicked fruit hanging from his trees. "What have you done?" he asked his steward. "My fruit should have been picked by now, yet the harvest is rotting in the branches!"

"I was trying to keep the workers from touching the fence that surrounded the fence that surrounded the tree whose fruit we were not to pick."

"Oh foolish steward! I only sought to preserve the fruit from one tree so that when I returned from our journey we would have it to enjoy at our harvest celebration. Now we have no harvest to celebrate!"

In his zeal for the law, the fool adds to the law, and makes vain what was perfect.

Comments

[IR]

I do believe you just described political correctness...In an effort not to offend anyone...everyone ends up being offended in their loss of identity..
Cheers
IR

[Meg]

Excellent story.

[Cindy]

Hey, Dory, I just found you by following a link from an old NJ friend: Valerie (Bound by Grace). We are very happy in Alabama but do miss CPC still. I am looking forward to reading your blog.

Cindy R, Mom to the 8 R boys, and Emily

[phil Dillon]

Wonderfully told. I've been on both sides of this. I've been the victim of legalism and I've also inflicted my own brand of leagalism on others.

Grace is difficult because it means we need to learn to be gracious.

This is a really nice blog. Will add it to my blogs of note for daily reading!

[Dory]

Thanks for the comments, folks. Yes, the line between faithful obedience and legalism is sometimes a fine one, but we have a gracious Father who forgives us when we get it wrong and sets us back on the right path.

Hi, Cindy! (waving in a southwestwardly direction) We miss you guys, too. I'm enjoying your blog, too!

[carson]

Grace! I can relate to your steward. I've totally misunderstood the rules a time or billion.