Be faithful in small things

"But narrow is the gate, narrowed the way that lead to life, and few who find them." Mathieu 7.14

This story takes place at the time when one of the Norwegian kings Olaf was reigning.

A young peasant girl, Gunhild, worked in the fields with other women, when two horsemen appeared, announcing to the women that they had come from the king to make an important announcement.

Lord, help me to always cultivate the flower of honesty ...

"Our beloved King Olaf wants to marry his son to a young girl of the country, but all the pretenders from the best families have been rejected because of their frivolity, so he invites all those who feel worthy to marry his son, Coming to the castle in seven days".

Gunhild, abandoned his work to present himself at the castle. Ahurie, her mother pretended that she was mad, that her condition was too modest; How could she pretend to marry the son of King Olaf and become queen; A role for which she had no competence and even less stature.

But nothing did, the young girl, firm in her decision, went to the castle on the seventh day, surprised to see a crowd of young girls from all over the country.

The guards made this recommendation :

"Girls, we give you a seed that we ask you to consider as very precious, you will take the greatest care of it, plant it, water it and make sure it produces a beautiful flower. Will have obtained the most beautiful flower, will be considered worthy to marry the prince !"

Gunhild, hastened to go home, planted her, then waited and waited for the appearance of a flower.

Time passed, but nothing came out: not the least bud, not the least stalk. Gunhild did not understand; She who was expert in cultures of all kinds.

Desperate, she cried every time her eyes crossed the empty jar.

When she returned to the castle, she saw a crowd of young girls, each carrying a pot, from which emerged magnificent flowers. She was the only one whose pot was empty. The king appeared and gave an order to send all the girls except one : Gunhild.

They brought her before the king; she was so afraid that she might be punished for having come without flower-she felt such a shame! She stood on her knees before the king, not daring to look at him. The latter raised it with kindness, told him that all the seeds that had been distributed to this crowd of young girls, were sterile and that she was the only one to have cultivated the blossom of honesty, truth. It is to her, therefore, that the great things of the kingdom will be entrusted, and it is she who will marry the prince.

A prayer for today

Lord, help me always cultivate the flower of honesty !

Jean-Louis Gaillard

Source (The Thought of the Day)