The administrators at a certain elementary school held a science fair in the gym, and each grade of children attended in turn. This wasn’t the sort of science fair where the kids brought their own science projects; instead, professional scientists came and gave demonstrations of their branches of science. Their presentations elicited excited cries and laughter from the kids.
One Sunday last year, I was sitting in a class when the teacher asked why we might hold back when it comes to the Savior—if He knocks at the door, why might we not fully welcome him into our lives?
For me, the answer was along these lines: My reluctance would probably come from a fear that Jesus would come in and immediately tell me all the things I need to change about my house.
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In an exchange with some of the rulers of the Jews, Jesus told a couple of parables characterizing their rebellious mindset. In the second, regarding a householder and the husbandmen he employed in his vineyard, Jesus related the fate of the householder’s son: “when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance” (Matthew 21:38). Of course, the householder’s son represented Christ Himself, and the husbandmen were the Jewish leaders who refused to give honor to Christ and instead wanted to occupy His place at the head of the Church.
One of the most talked-about technological advances in a certain developed country in a recent year centered around an artificial intelligence engine. It built a database of knowledge from material available on the Internet and could respond to spoken or typed questions much as your friend would do—if your friend had command of the world’s pooled, public knowledge. The inventors of this engine, which was dubbed the “Know-It-All Companion,” or KIAC, received acclaim, admiration, and awards for their work in their field. Of course, they also received some criticism, but that was to be expected.
Some kids like visiting the dentist. Other kids detest it. It depends on both the dentist and on how well the kids take care of their teeth. Ryan generally liked visiting his dentist, who was very friendly and had TVs mounted to the ceiling above the chairs so he could watch cartoons while the hygienist cleaned his teeth and the dentist poked around his mouth. But his most recent visit gave him reason to reconsider.
The Weekly Parable 