The Two Masters
THE TWO MASTERS
There were once two brothers whom have servants.
One day the younger one needed more workers to work in his field.
Thinking that his older brother’s servants can help, he sent a messenger to him.
The messenger then relayed the younger brother’s message to the older one.
“Sir…” said he “My master needs more workers in his field and I am sent forth by
him to pass this message.” He passed the written message and it was written:
“Brother,
God had blessed me tremendously with more land and now is the planting season.
It also happened that one of my workers is sick so I gave him a rest.
If you are generous enough to lend me one of your servants to work on my land, I am willing to pay you back his wages and a royalty payment for your goodness”.
The older brother smiled as he finished reading the message.
“Come…”he said to one of his servants “I am sending you to work at my brother’s land because he needs more workers. Pack your things immediately and don’t lose any hour so that you will earn your wages completely this day. Above all don’t forget to pass this written message to my brother. Secondly know more how my brother prospered that I may able to prosper also through his ways.
Without any delay, the messenger and the servant left.
Upon arrival at the younger one’s land the servant passed the written message first of all as it was instructed.
“How is everything at my brother’s place?” the younger master asked the servant as he start to read the written message. The words written were like this:
Younger Brother,
“I rejoice to our God for the blessings you received and herewith I am sending one of my servants to work in your field. His daily wage is 50 shilling and I require a royalty payment of 500 shilling from you. Please give this amount to my servant when he returns to me”.
The servant replied, “Sir, your older brother and my master is very busy and he instructed me to pass the written message to you above all but he forget to give my food before he sent me here to work.”
The younger one offered his brother’s servant to the dining room and had one of his servants to serve them food. While they were dining, the master gave instructions to do for the day and exchanged ideas.
After eating, the younger master led his brother’s servant to the field to work. A week had passed and the servant was sent back to his master together with the payment required. Upon receiving the payment, the older brother was very happy and said to him,” My younger brother is foolish for he don’t know my servant’s wage is only 5 shilling a day and he is too generous enough to double my required royalty payment”. To make himself more comfortable, the older brother sent away his servant the next day.
Harvest season came. The younger brother had bountiful harvest and the older brother known about it. Immediately he sent his messenger with a message to his brother and said in written words:
Younger Brother,
It came to my knowledge that you had a bountiful harvest on the field my servant had worked. Therefore it is just lawful for me to share your harvest because of my servant’s effort and toil.
When this message was read by the younger brother, he tore off his clothes in anger and took a pen, write these words to his older brother.
Brother,
I tore my clothes as I read your message in my grief and hope that may God’s wrath be taken off from you. How could you say that it is lawful for a blasphemous brother to share in my harvest? I said so because you cheated me and your servant. You even used the name of our God in vain just to prove the truthfulness of your letter when you sent your servant to work in my field. Your rejoicing on my prosperity is of jealousy and hypocrisy.
I am not foolish as you think when I paid your requirements that day. Remember this: Servants are free to talk when not bounded by their masters. Even dogs bite their masters when teased or abused.
Now the harvest had come and indeed by God’s mercy I have a bountiful one. For me, it’s rightful and lawful to share my harvest to your servant who worked for me. Yes, I needed your help during the planting season and I paid you in return. That day you already received your share from my harvest. Out of my generosity I even I doubled your requirement and yet you never appreciate.
.
Who knows if disaster had come to my field and I did not have a good harvest, do you think you will grieve with me? Surely not but rejoice in it. Why I said so? Because you even sent away your servant who worked for me so that you will gain the praise if my harvest is a success but if it’s not bountiful you’ll surely say,
” I sent away my servant because he never did a good work which result to your poor harvest.”
Now I say is this again, it’s just rightful and lawful to share my harvest to your servant who worked for me those days so that your guilt will be taken off from his heart and mind. Finally I remind you again, “Servants are free to talk when not bounded by their masters. Even dogs bite their masters when teased or abused.”
Don’t worry about your servant whom you sent away, he is now working for me because it is just lawful that this fortune I had must be bestowed to trusted ones. I said it so because those days he worked for me I saw your servant at work always look upon my land he toil then upwards entrusting to the One and finally on his way home ,again he look upon the farm he toil and peace rest on him.”
The messenger of the older brother left immediately as soon as he received the written response from the younger one and without any delay he delivered to his master and said “Master here’s the response from your brother.”
Upon reading the written message, the older master beat his chest with his two fists in repentance and grief. His messenger led him to his bed and said “Master…please has a good rest. Man’s yield for today will be different for tomorrow if that man is willing to accept positive changes. Please forgive my words if it offended thee.”
The master nodded and said: “Tomorrow we will visit my brother and my servant for reconciliation. My guilt makes me unease and I might die because of it.”
---------------------------------------------------- End------------------------------------------------------------------------
