A long time ago and in a faraway land, the King's favorite coachman passed away. He had known him all of his life, and it pained him to have to select another, but word was noised abroad throughout the kingdom that the King sought a new personal coachman.
The applicants traveled from far and wide to the palace. The king's chamberlain put them through a series of tasks that tested their skills, their mettle, and their loyalty. At length, only three candidates remained. They were told to prepare for a personal interview with the king, after which the king would choose a new coachman.
The first coachman was the finest horseman in all the land. He could command horses with ease, and had broken many in training. The army depended on him for their mounts. He entered the throne room, bowed in a most obsequious manner, and approached the king when bade. "How far," the king asked, "can you drive the coach from the edge of the Cliff of Tyranil without falling off?" The Cliff of Tyranil was renown for the fact that it lay along a major merchant route with a neighboring kingdom. It was carved into a granite ediface and as such had little room for error. The cliffs were hundreds of feet above the surrounding countryside, and at the bottom lay the sharp crags of the granite carved out for the road. Everyone who fell off the cliffs died.
A smile crossed his face. "Why, your majesty," he beamed, "I can get six inches from the edge without falling off." The king thanked him and bade the second applicant enter.
The second man entered. He was one of the most accomplished merchants in the land. He had made the treck along the Cliff of Tyranil many times and brought much wealth to the land. When asked the same question, he too beamed with pride, puffed out his chest and boasted, "Your majesty, I can get within an inch of the edge of the cliff without falling off." The king likewise thanked him and asked for the final applicant.
The last applicant was a farm boy. He came from a regular family. His father had served valiantly in the army but had retired several years before. The boy lacked the keen eye that made his father such a fine archer, but he was unafraid of hard work. Nobody had thought when he made his way to the palace that he would survive to the final accounting, but here he stood. The king stepped off his throne and lifted the boy's head, as he had bowed himself low on the floor. "Dear boy," the king smiled, "If you were my coachman, how close could you get to the edge of the Cliff of Tyrandil without falling off?"
The boy rose. He looked at the floor. "Sire," he paused, "If I were your coachman, I would keep as far away from the edge of the cliff as I could."
All of my life, people have chided me for the "fact" that I have "missed out" on many things that are part of life. Just weeks ago, I was told that I had missed the prime of my life. However, I chose a long time ago to stay as far away from the edge of the cliff as possible. As such, when I take an account of my life this year, I am no worse off than I was a year ago, and that is a good thing indeed. Many dangers have passed by me, and for that I am extremely grateful to my Creator. He is good to me.
Hence many are called but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because they set their hearts on riches and the things of this world so much that they do not learn this one lesson, that true greatness is predicated on righteousness. If you would be truly great, be greatly true.
The applicants traveled from far and wide to the palace. The king's chamberlain put them through a series of tasks that tested their skills, their mettle, and their loyalty. At length, only three candidates remained. They were told to prepare for a personal interview with the king, after which the king would choose a new coachman.
The first coachman was the finest horseman in all the land. He could command horses with ease, and had broken many in training. The army depended on him for their mounts. He entered the throne room, bowed in a most obsequious manner, and approached the king when bade. "How far," the king asked, "can you drive the coach from the edge of the Cliff of Tyranil without falling off?" The Cliff of Tyranil was renown for the fact that it lay along a major merchant route with a neighboring kingdom. It was carved into a granite ediface and as such had little room for error. The cliffs were hundreds of feet above the surrounding countryside, and at the bottom lay the sharp crags of the granite carved out for the road. Everyone who fell off the cliffs died.
A smile crossed his face. "Why, your majesty," he beamed, "I can get six inches from the edge without falling off." The king thanked him and bade the second applicant enter.
The second man entered. He was one of the most accomplished merchants in the land. He had made the treck along the Cliff of Tyranil many times and brought much wealth to the land. When asked the same question, he too beamed with pride, puffed out his chest and boasted, "Your majesty, I can get within an inch of the edge of the cliff without falling off." The king likewise thanked him and asked for the final applicant.
The last applicant was a farm boy. He came from a regular family. His father had served valiantly in the army but had retired several years before. The boy lacked the keen eye that made his father such a fine archer, but he was unafraid of hard work. Nobody had thought when he made his way to the palace that he would survive to the final accounting, but here he stood. The king stepped off his throne and lifted the boy's head, as he had bowed himself low on the floor. "Dear boy," the king smiled, "If you were my coachman, how close could you get to the edge of the Cliff of Tyrandil without falling off?"
The boy rose. He looked at the floor. "Sire," he paused, "If I were your coachman, I would keep as far away from the edge of the cliff as I could."
All of my life, people have chided me for the "fact" that I have "missed out" on many things that are part of life. Just weeks ago, I was told that I had missed the prime of my life. However, I chose a long time ago to stay as far away from the edge of the cliff as possible. As such, when I take an account of my life this year, I am no worse off than I was a year ago, and that is a good thing indeed. Many dangers have passed by me, and for that I am extremely grateful to my Creator. He is good to me.
Hence many are called but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because they set their hearts on riches and the things of this world so much that they do not learn this one lesson, that true greatness is predicated on righteousness. If you would be truly great, be greatly true.
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