You were captured by the King of Sin. He held you in his POW camp, where you served as a slave. You obeyed every command he gave and you had no rights of your own. The King of Sin stripped you of your dignity and beat the hope out of you. He was ruthless.
One day, another king learned of your slavery. He was called the King of Heaven. He knew what it would cost to free you from the King of Sin. It seemed almost too much to bear, but the King of Heaven made up his mind. He went home to his wife and son. He played games with his son for hours, took him for ice cream, and read him a story before bed. In bed, the man held his son in his arms for hours—until daybreak.
At daybreak, he took his son to the King of Sin. The bloodthirsty king smiled with wretched delight. He seized the boy and dragged him into the camp. When the boy looked to his dad for help, his dad turned his face away. The boy felt so alone, as he was led into the camp. The King of Sin unlocked your chains and let you go. You walked out, right past the boy, who was walking in, bravely. The King of Sin took your chains and locked them around the boy. The King of Heaven opened his arms wide and welcomed you home. The King of Sin reached for some nails. The King of Heaven reached for a ring. A moment later, you heard a loud scream from inside the camp, as the King of Heaven plunged a ring around your finger.
The King of Heaven looks with delight at you; you look with delight at him. You know what it cost to free you; and you weren’t about to disappoint him. You walk home with him, hand-in-hand. As you go, you pass another king, a most dreadful one, like the King of Sin. He motions to you. You look at his hand and see that he is holding another chain, beckoning for you to put it on. You shudder with horror and grip the King of Heaven’s hand even tighter. You say to him, “I will never leave you.” He says back to you, “I will never let go of you.” For once, you believe it.
That wasn’t the only chain offered to you. Every day of your life, a new king held out his chain to you. And every day of your life, you have to choose to stay close to your king. Not only because of what it cost him to free you, but also because of the love he gives you. All other kings rule by chains, but only yours rules with a ring.
© Samuel Kee, 2012
