PEA PATCH PARABLE (contemporary retelling of Jonah story)

PEA PATCH PARABLE

(contemporary retelling of Jonah story)

“… daylight is wasting!  John, get out of that bed… now!”  and, so began another Saturday morning for me;  but, you’d think I’d be used to it by now?!  But, shouldn’t a 12-year-old boy be allowed to sleep past 6 a.m. and get his rest?

Mama had me a plate of grits and eggs that I wolfed down as Dad glared at me.  He took me to the back porch and motioned toward the garden, saying, “… see those peas; they are MINE!  See that okra; it is MINE!  See that corn; it is MINE!  See that GRASS?  It is YOURS!  Now, get it out of my garden!  Understand?”

As I grabbed my hoe, I stumbled toward the pea patch, muttering, “… he gives away half this stuff – to lazy, good-for-nothing lazy bums… half of them drive around in cars that I would kill for … free phones …” 

“What did you say?” boomed out behind me!

As I chopped and hoed and raked, I decided that I would no longer labor for those lazy loafers who got the rewards of my labors.  I decided to run away from home!

Dad found me, but did not let on; I never saw him.  The truant officer “somehow” found me, since I had skipped school for three days, hiding in my new “home”.  My next home was a hell-hole, “juvenile hall” , where I had lots of time to think!  I decided to go home and get my hoe and get back to work in Dad’s pea patch.  Dad did not seem so bad now.

But, to my alarm, those sorry “neighbors” began to show up to help me?!  I knew what they were up to – they wanted ALL of it, no doubt!  They were just brown-nosing Dad.  I just sulked and whined, and refused to talk to the new helpers.

Years later, only then, I began to understand that Dad loved me, and wanted me to have a generous heart.  And, for reasons that I have yet to understand, Dad loved THEM. Maybe one day, I will be like him?!

“Go ye into all the world, and do good to all”