THE DOUGHBOYS -- or, a Biscuit Parable

THE DOUGHBOYS

Or,  a Biscuit Parable

                His kids jumped into the pile of biscuits and squealed with delight!  It was such fun to leap from the second floor into the large pile of leftovers.  It seemed like such a waste; but, the birds enjoyed the crumbs later.  Surely it was a good idea to help feed the birds?!  After all, “God feeds the birds …”

                Unknown to the children, at least the younger, naïve ones, outside their world rolling in dough, there existed so many who would gladly have eaten the crumbs.  There never seemed to be enough to eat in their homes.  There always seemed to be ten at the table and only nine biscuits.  Mama just creatively cut up the biscuits, or made them a little smaller.  But, the biscuit collector insisted that his biscuit be no less than four inches in diameter and one inch thick.  You really did not want to make him mad.  He might take two!

                Occasionally, his children would grow bored with jumping in the biscuits and would throw them at each other, instead.  It was sort of like dodge doughball.  It seemed like a fun game; but, sometimes they would accidentally throw a biscuit, errantly, over the fence.  He would be furious.  What if the outsiders were to find one of the biscuits and investigate?  He had heard of biscuit rebellions.

                He would sometimes think about the biscuit inequity; but, would reason to himself that giving back the biscuits would accomplish little.  It would mean that each family only got one extra bite of biscuit.  They waste more than that, surely?!  And, his kids so enjoyed the biscuit games.  It is just the way that it is.  He certainly did not want them to be unhappy, or go without.

                Every once in a while, he would have a biscuit give-away.  It made him immensely popular with the outsiders.  It made him look so generous.  And, it kept the outsiders from thinking ill of the insiders.  After all, they would give them extra biscuits that they would not have otherwise.  Any talk of problems with the biscuit-collectors was quickly hushed by the biscuit-munching hoards.  They did not want to upset the biscuit give-away.

                The insiders even started a club where they promised to give away half of their excess biscuits.  Outsiders were giving them so many extra biscuits, that it only seemed right to give half of them back, somehow, someway.  It is a good thing that the outsiders are giving away so many biscuits so that they can join the doughboy club.  It is just another good reason for the way things are.

                So, tonight, many will sit down and enjoy almost enough biscuit.  They are thankful for almost enough.  And, what is enough, anyways?  And, we do not want to get too fat.  Maybe we need to take a biscuit to the little old man next door?

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” (Matthew 25:37 - NIV)