This tale is about an old and wise priest who is know throughout the land as a good and giving man of God. He resides in a kingdom ruled by an elderly king whose son is jealous of the priest because he feels that people give him the respect that he deserves. The prince has an intense disliking for all religious people because he thinks that they are all hypocrites and liars. He has even had many leaders thrown in jail. So one day he devises a plan to expose the priest and gain the respect he deserves. One night he goes to the priests home and offers him a large sum of money to write a letter declaring that he is a hypocrite and a liar that will be distributed throughout all of the kingdom. The priest, who has always been poor, considers the offer for a few minutes and he replied that he would do so but on three conditions. The first is that the prince will leave the church and its leaders alone. The second is that all of the leaders who have been imprisoned will be released. The third is that the priest will need some time to raise the large sum of money required.
I'll have to be honest, I needed to read Rollins' commentary to fully get this tale. His point is that the humble priest found it a great honor to be exposed as a hypocrite and liar that he would pay for it. In essence, the knowledge of the prince is turned upside down by the reaction of the priest. The prince hoped this would crush the priest, but the priest saw this as an opportunity to teach the whole kingdom about the values that he tries to live by. Growing up in a pietist tradition like I did, I have rarely seen this kind of humility displayed. We find our piety or righteousness as more of a measuring stick of holiness, instead of our humility and honesty. I have a feeling that I will be thinking about this tale for quite some time.
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