The Filled and Empty Bowls

Story story…

The children were sharing how their day went in school with their parents. Edwina had lost being the class President to the most popular girl in school and she was not happy.

“How can they pick her mom, she’s only popular and pretty, that’s all.”

Her mother smiled and hugged her. “That is what they know, and people do not do beyond what they know darling.”

Her mummy said, ” Imagine there are 10 bowls with one filled with water, then here comes a child who wants to play. He hits the filled bowl with his spoon, it makes little sound, so he loses interest in it and moves on to the next one.

Remember the rest are empty bowls; realizing they are louder, yay! Fun! he ignores the filled bowl for the empty ones. He used one as a drum, and when he was tired of drumming, he abandoned it and used two others as a pretend helmet and shield, later he used another for sliding around the house. He played with them till he was exhausted, hungry and thirsty.

So water was gotten from the filled bowl for him to drink, also to prepare a meal for him. After feeding and resting, he was bored with the bowls and went to find something else, that would be more fun to play with.

Which do you think the boy needed, the play or the feeding?” Edwina’s mum asked.

“The food and drink,” Poju who does not play with his food quickly replied.

“Hmm, foodie!” Daddy exclaimed and they all laughed.

Mummy explained further, “Like that bowl, we are light, we are relevant everywhere but not to be used as play toys and abandoned like the empty bowls. It may look like those empty bowls are more fun but they will end up cracked, chipped, broken or bent out of shape before long.

People do not do beyond what they know. Your father and I are filled bowls that have poured our water into you and your siblings. What do you think the empty bowl parents have to pour into their children?”

“Nothing,” Edwina replied. “But mum will the empty bowls keep winning, how can I win too?”

First, rather than wish you were part of them, acknowledge who you are, and don’t dim your light or envy what you think they have. Those bowls the boy played with were made for more than playthings, in fact, the manufacturer did not make them to be toys, but they do not know that.

Also, let them share in your water and light, you can ask the Holy Spirit to show you ways to make them recognize their need for the light and water you carry.

Finally, let me correct that notion, they are not winning. Do you think the Jews were winning because they were more in number than Jesus and his disciples or they won when they killed him? It may look that way but where are they now and who is still saving the world? Your attention should not be on who is/not winning but what your bowl is doing.”

Their Daddy asked, “Who would you rather be… Filled bowl or empty bowl?

Edwina and Poju were still thinking about their parent’s words as they prayed and went to bed.