PROGRAM SUCCESS – JUNE 2013 PAGE 31
The KING the MICE and the CHEESE
As a young child , one of the very first books I read turned out to be one that had a profound affect on my life then and devoid my knowledge , even more so as an adult . This book titled : The KING , the MICE and the CHEESE , taught me the values of relationships and purpose . Written by Nancy and Eric Gurney in 1965 , published by Random House , Inc . of New York , the book is very well illustrated .
The story goes along these lines , “ Once upon a time , in a faraway country , there lived a king . He lived in a beautiful palace . He had everything he liked . He liked cheese best of all . His cheese makers made the best cheese in all the land . Everyone in the palace could smell that cheese . Everyone in the town could smell that cheese . Everyone in the country could smell that cheese . A mouse did .”
Now this is where the story gets good . The book says that mouse told all his friends and every mouse in the land ran to the palace . The mice had fun living with the king eating the king ’ s cheese but the king did not like it . He called his wise men for advice in getting rid of the mice . After careful thought and consideration , they brought in cats ; big cats , little cats , fat cats and thin cats . These mice-chasing cats ran every mouse from the palace .
Now the cats were very happy living with the king , but the king was not happy living with cats . They scratch and clawed , there was too many of them . Again he called his wise men , and again after careful thought and consideration , they brought in dogs ; big dogs , little dogs and spotted dogs . These cat-chasing dogs ran all the cats from the palace .
Now the dogs were very happy . They liked living with the king . But the king was not happy . He did not like living with dogs . They barked and chewed . In comes the wise men , this time they brought in lions … big - big brave lions . The dog-chasing lions ran every dog from the palace .
Now the lions were very happy living with the king , but not the king living with lions . They were big and scary . Again the call goes out to the wise men , they say this is easy , they bring in elephants . The lion-chasing elephants run every lion from the palace .
The elephants were very , very happy living with the king . But the king was most unhappy living with elephants . They were dusty and they smelled . How do you get rid of elephants , yelled the king ? We can do it , said the wise men . We will do it right away . They brought back all the mice . The elephant-chasing mice went right to work and ran every elephant from the palace .
The king was right back where he started … mice everywhere … eating his cheese . “ What am I going to do ? For three long days the king sat and asked himself that question . After three days of thinking , he thought of the only answer . Calling the mice together , the king made a deal , “ I ’ ll learn to get along with you . You ’ ll learn to get along with me .”
From then on , the king shared his cheese with the mice … and the mice learned to eat with very nice manners .
Jesus tells a story of relationship and purpose in Mark 4 : 1-9 . It is a story about simple seeds and their quest to survive . After telling this story , it ’ s interesting that Jesus concludes with the statement , “ He that hath ears to hear , let him hear .”
Could it be that America ’ s solution to all its problems … the mysteries of life , Publisher ' s Editorial those complex predicaments , eluding Darryl A . Barrs , Sr . answers , and that indistinguishable King Mice Cheese knowledge we seek , is hiding in plain Jacksonville , Florida view among the simple things in life . June 2013 Is the prophet speaking to us today as a nation when he states in Ezekiel 12:2 , “ Son of man , thou dewellest in the midst of a rebellious house , which have eyes to see , and see not ; they have ears to hear , and hear not : for they are a rebellious house .”
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