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So a guy is about to graduate. He keeps hinting and hinting to his parents that he wants a car for his graduation present. So the day of his graduation arrives and his father presents him with a gift. He expects I guess to open up the box and perhaps find the keys to the car he's been asking for. He opens the box to find a Bible. He goes ballistic! He has a total fit, tells his parents off, storms out of the house and NEVER speaks to them again. Years later, after his father has passed away, he comes across that Bible. He decides to open it and what do you think he found. A check for the money to buy the car!!!

I don't disbelieve this story, but where is it from? And why didn't his parents reach out to him with the truth? Did their Pride get the best of them?

AnneBoleyn;1449252 wrote: I don't disbelieve this story, but where is it from? And why didn't his parents reach out to him with the truth? Did their Pride get the best of them?


Whether a true story or not is irrelevant. The moral of the story is to grasp the situation before reacting.

There is the problem with the Bible. Too many people want to argue over the veracity of the story, instead of simply looking for the lesson.

So, once there is a reaction that is the end? No forgiveness, no reaching out? No parents admitting they played a prank that caused hurt to the son?

I have seen very little evidence of forgiveness in 'real' life. People just pronounce each other as TOXIC & go their separate ways. We need lessons in mediation & healing wounds, without Pride involved as to who goes first.

AnneBoleyn;1449257 wrote: So, once there is a reaction that is the end? No forgiveness, no reaching out? No parents admitting they played a prank that caused hurt to the son?

I have seen very little evidence of forgiveness in 'real' life. People just pronounce each other as TOXIC & go their separate ways. We need lessons in mediation & healing wounds, without Pride involved as to who goes first.


True enough. Going back to that story, so the kid storms out, and never accepts any attempts from his parents at communicating. What can they do?

I have known people who did that. We have one grandson who got wrapped around the axle over his mom and dad divorcing, and refuses to have anything to do with anyone in the family, now. Nothing anyone has ever said to him has gotten through. He will have to be the one to make the next move.

We wait.

So, I guess there is more than one lesson in that story.

I have seen very little evidence of forgiveness in 'real' life. People just pronounce each other as TOXIC & go their separate ways.

Sorry to repeat myself, but that is what I have seen. Some people won't budge an inch. Heartbreaking. I know this from experience. I wish I didn't.

Yes, many lessons.

I can see a few different lessons to be learned from the story.

Wandrin;1449262 wrote: I can see a few different lessons to be learned from the story.


Pray tell.

Lesson #1 Don't try to be too clever when making a gift.

If you're curious as to where I got this story from, a preacher told it one Sunday in the course of a sermon.

As for the gift I don't think they were trying to be clever, it is a common practice around here to give someone a Bible when they graduate from school. I guess they thought he would give them a chance to tell him to look in it before he pulled a whole fit and stormed out.

So how did these presumably good christian parents raise such a selfish self centred arrogant son?

gmc;1449287 wrote: So how did these presumably good christian parents raise such a selfish self centred arrogant son?


That happens a lot. One of the worst troublemakers in my Senior class at high school was the son of the local Baptist minister.

My Father-in-law was also a Preacher's son. The stories he told of his youth were inspiring.

Tales of preachers children are told far and wide. If you are to strict with a child they will rebel. There is a fine line in knowing how strict to be with a child without going to far.

Hope6;1449239 wrote: So a guy is about to graduate. He keeps hinting and hinting to his parents that he wants a car for his graduation present. So the day of his graduation arrives and his father presents him with a gift. He expects I guess to open up the box and perhaps find the keys to the car he's been asking for. He opens the box to find a Bible. He goes ballistic! He has a total fit, tells his parents off, storms out of the house and NEVER speaks to them again. Years later, after his father has passed away, he comes across that Bible. He decides to open it and what do you think he found. A check for the money to buy the car!!!


The father passed away five years later. During that time, the young man worked hard, leased an apartment, bought his own car and took classes at the local college. At his father's funeral, he hugged his mother and asked her forgiveness and promised to be there for her. He finally realized how much he missed his parents and their support. He and his mom went back with her to her home for the family supper. His mom brought out the Bible and handed it to her son. That's when he noticed the check, and wept. A prodigal son returns.

I'm glad he was there for his mother, it's just a shame he couldn't have done that before his father died.

Hope6;1449278 wrote: If you're curious as to where I got this story from, a preacher told it one Sunday in the course of a sermon.


And that makes it true, or a parable? Joel Osteen is always telling broad stories like that. I appreciate Joel, but don't necessarily believe in generalities as real; I can see them for getting a point across.

Whichever it is I think the story gives us a lot to think about. I assumed at the time the preacher was telling it that it was a real story.

par·a·ble

[par-uh-buhl] Show IPA

noun

1.

a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.

2.

a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.


Maybe it was true for someone at some point but there are a whole plethora of similar tales out there that can be used even copies of sermons if you want to preach one. Knowing that doesn't make the point any less valid does it?

I'd have thought pride as well as anger. Too proud to apolologise

I have to much pride in some cases. I would rather do without than to have to ask anybody for anything. Sometimes when I have needed help I've been to proud to ask for it. I know that's not a good thing but it's how I am.

My cousin Ashley got a Dictionary for a birthday present once. We leafed thru it from page one to page 500 ... from Aarvark to ZZZ (sound of someone snoring) looking for the real present.

No such luck. So we went out and bought some grass and used a few pages from the dictionary to roll a reefer or two.

Best damn birthday gift we ever smoked!!

Priceless JJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It doesn't ring true to me. For one thing, I think at some point the parents would

have just gone ahead and told the son what was in there. And also, a several

years check is no good, anyway. Whenever they wen to balance the checkbook,

they'd have to deal with that sum of money, so to make it come out right, they'd

have to stop payment.

I think I get what the lesson was supposed to be, just that there surely was

a better way than that.

As a father I would have just said:

Hey dumbass, when you get done acting like a 4 year old ya might want to open up that bible to the ten commandments and see how much your mom and I are paying for you to "Honor your Mother and Father".

Well the parents may have tried to tell him about the check but if he is refusing to talk to them or listen to them, I don't see how they could do it.