How do I show my faith: A Parable

In a far away land there was a wealthy farmer with two young sons. He told his sons that he needed to leave for a long time to develop business opportunities across the ocean. While he was away they were each given a farm to take care of. He provided them with two resources if they needed help—a book of instructions and the phone number of their oldest brother who was already a successful farmer. The father said as he parted that if they would trust his instructions, they would have great harvests.

After the father was gone, the two sons sat down and read the instruction manual from cover to cover. They discovered the first rule of farming was to believe their oldest brother would help them and that their father loved them. If they believed this they would become successful farmers.

With this knowledge, one son decided to learn as much about the instruction manual as possible. He went to college and studied the instruction manual until he had it memorized. He taught others the importance of the instruction manual and that they needed to believe his oldest brother would make them successful farmers. Sometimes, he would charge people to listen to his explanations about the importance of the instruction manual. Yet, he never worked on his farm. He called his oldest brother, but never followed his advice. The important thing he thought was simply believing the instruction manual was true and believing his oldest brother had good advice.

His teachings convinced many to neglect their farms. They understood that working on their farms was not the key to being good farmer. You could work on the farm if you wanted to, but it was not required. It was not important to follow the instructions in the manual. It was enough to state the belief that the manual was good and that the farmers oldest son would make them good farmers. And from believing, it would become true.

The other son decided to follow the instructions in the manual as closely as he could. Soon, he found the tasks required to make a successful farm were too difficult for him to do alone. This depressed him a lot, until he remembered the phone number of his oldest brother. He called his brother often. From these phone calls he was given further instructions, training, and encouragement. Sometimes, when the son couldn't finish a task correctly, the oldest brother would personally come and help. From his hard work, his farm began to prosper and he grew wealthy.

Others saw this son's prosperous farm and wanted to know the secret. He gave them copies of the instruction manual, his oldest brothers phone number and told them the key to success was work. Those who believed him, followed his example and also had prosperous farms.

The question is which son really had faith in the words of their father.

James 2:17-18

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."