The Evergreens Crown

A young pupil wanted to prove his commitment and trust in his teacher. Master, I want you to see how much I trust you with my life. Give me a challenge, ask me to do anything, and I will do itno matter how dangerous, he spouted confidently. If you insist, I will not refuse you. But take a nights sleep before demanding this of me, replied the teacher softly. Very well, I will take a nights sleep. The next day the pupil returned more adamant than ever, Please master, you must see how devoted I am to you. It is important to me. Alright, you have your test. Go down into the forest and find where the Sapient river splits in two. There you will see the tallest, most beautiful Evergreen tree. I want you to take a boulder the size of your head from the heart of the rivers bed, and place it atop the pinnacle of that tree. But master, the river is in flood stage; and how will I balance a stone on the peak of a tree? You asked for a difficult test, did you not? Now you shall see your trust. Very well, I will go, said the pupil. His head hung with dejection as the task seemed impossible. Finding the spot his master had described the pupil sat down to think it through. The river was violent, swift, and swollen; frothing rabidly around any rock or object upon which it could break. But the pupil was very intelligent. Finding a strong vine he anchored it to the shore before securing it to himself. Entering the river he was quickly overwhelmed and swept under the current. He wouldve drowned had he not pulled himself out by the vine. Upon resting sufficiently he entered the water again, and the same process ensued. The rest of the day was spent this way until finally, battered, bruised and exhausted he emerged victorious from the depths, boulder in hand. He slept deeply that night and was reborn the next morning, determined to tackle his next task. Surmounting the tree with boulder in hand was exceedingly difficult. Many times he dropped the boulder and would start the now bitter process over. Cut, stabbed, scraped and exhausted he finally reached the top of the tree. Trying ever

so delicately to balance his boulder upon the minute branch which crowned the tree, he knew it was impossible. In a flash of frustration he let go of the boulder, but it fell on him and they both went careening to the earth below. Broken, bleeding, and half-dead he lay at the base of the tree, still and quiet. The master then emerged from the bush where hed been intently watching the whole thing. The students eyes swelled with shame and relief at seeing his master. Without a word or hint of disappointment the master gently went about bandaging and mending his pupils wounds. Finishing, he gave the student food to eat and water to drink. Finally the student spoke, breaking the nurtured silence. Ive failed master, he whispered. Have you? The student looked curiously at his teacher. Yes. Ill collect my things when Im able, and go home. Now why would you do that? Because Ive failed. Why did you insist on this test? he said, his tone soothing. I needed to prove my trust in you, that you would deem me worthy as a student. It was not your trust that demanded you come out here. It was your insecurity. Youre right, he whimpered, All Ive done is proven how little I trust, and how unworthy I am to be your student. The master let out a laugh, Worthy? What does that have to do with it? How can a student be worthy if he is yet to be trained by his master? And if he must be worthy to be trained by the master, then he will never be worthy or trained. No, it is the unworthy who qualify, and it is by their unworthiness that they are recognized. But Ive proven I dont trust you. Ive failed. No son. Your demand for the test revealed your level of trust. A test wasnt needed to confirm it. Then why grant my request?

I gave you the opportunity to avoid this, but you wouldve settled for nothing less. Master, I dont understand. You still think of trust as something that you can muster by choice and sheer force of will. You think of it as blind. But your own insecurity should reveal to you that trust is not blind. It is grown and nurtured over time. But I still failed, what was the point? Did you really think that trust is born by great effort, success and victory? Trust is born in defeat and failure, when you are broken and shattered. If Im not with you in the ashes, how can you trust me in the garden? Trust is born from death and resurrection, not your accomplishments; it is born in your weakness, not your strength.

Copyright by M. C. Lang * www.mclang.net