Shining Light Tells the Good Story 18

NEVER GIVE UP PRAYING

1Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told them a story to show that they should pray at all times and never lose heart.

2 “Listen!” he said. “There was a village that had a tribal council chief who did not fear the Great Spirit or respect his fellow human beings. 3A woman of that village, who had lost her husband, kept bothering him. She would say to him, ‘Stand up for me against the one who has done me wrong!’

4-5“The tribal council chief ignored her at first, but the woman kept demanding that he help her. The council chief grew weary, changed his thinking, and said, ‘This woman really troubles me. If I do not help her and right this wrong, she will never stop bothering me! I will see that she gets justice, not because I respect her or even fear the Great Spirit, but only because she will not give up until I help her.’”

6Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then said, “Can you hear the words of this bad-hearted tribal council chief? 7If a council chief like that will do what is right, how much more will the Great Spirit right the wrongs done to the ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he ignore their cries? No! 8I tell you, he will not be slow to bring justice to them. But when the True Human Being comes, will he find this kind of faith anywhere in this land?”

ARROGANCE AND HUMILITY

9He then told a story to warn the ones who trusted in themselves and thought they were better than others.

10“Two men, a Separated One (Pharisee) and a tribal tax collector, went to the Great Spirit’s sacred lodge to send up their prayers.

11“The Separated One (Pharisee) kept his distance from the tribal tax collector and prayed out loud, ‘Creator, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humankind—like the ones who use force to get from others what they want, or who are not faithful in marriage, or who have no understanding of right or wrong. I thank you also that I am not like this tribal tax collector standing here! 12I go without food twice a week for spiritual reasons, and I give a tenth of all my gain.’

13“Now the tribal tax collector hung his head down and would not even lift his face to the spirit-world above. He beat his hands against his chest and cried out, ‘Creator! Be kind and have pity on me. I am a pitiful man, full of bad thoughts and wrongdoings!’

14“Can you not see?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said. “The tribal tax collector returned home in good standing with Creator, but the Separated One (Pharisee) did not! The ones who think too highly of themselves will be brought down low. The ones who humble themselves will be lifted up.”

LITTLE CHILDREN AND THE GOOD ROAD

15The people were bringing their little children to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) so he would lay his hands on them and bless them, but his followers spoke harsh words to the ones bringing them.

16So Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, “Let the little children come to me! Do not turn them away. Creator’s good road belongs to the ones who are like these children. 17I speak from my heart, unless you welcome Creator’s good road in the way a little child does, you will never walk it.”

POSSESSIONS OR THE GREAT SPIRIT?

18A spiritual leader came to Creator Sets Free (Jesus). “Good Wisdomkeeper,” he asked, “what must I do to have the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony?”

19“Why do you call me good?” he asked the man. “Only the Great Spirit is good. 20You know the sacred instructions from tribal law: Do not be unfaithful in marriage, do not take the life of another, or take anything that is not yours. Do not lie about others, and always give honor and respect to your parents.”#18:20 Deuteronomy 5:16-20

21“Wisdomkeeper,” the man answered, “from my youth I have followed all of these instructions.”

22“Then only one thing remains,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told him, “Take all of your possessions and give them to the ones who have none. Then you will have great possessions in the spirit-world above. And then come, walk the good road with me.”

23The young man’s heart fell to the ground, and he hung his head, for he had many possessions.

24-25A great sadness came to the face of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) as he looked at the man. And then he said, “Walking the good road is a hard thing for the ones who have many possessions. It would be easier for a moose#18:24-25 Lit. camel to squeeze through the eye of a beading needle.”

26After hearing this, they asked him, “How then can anyone walk the good road that sets all people free?”

27Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked at them and said, “This is only possible with the help of the Great Spirit.”

28Stands on the Rock (Peter) spoke up. “Can you see that we have left all our possessions and our relatives to walk the road with you?”

29“I speak from my heart,” he said to them, “No one who has left homes and families to walk Creator’s good road will go without. 30For in this world they will gain an even greater family with many homes, and in the world to come, the life of beauty and harmony will be theirs.”

THE ROAD AHEAD

31Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took the twelve aside and told them again about what was coming on the road ahead.

“Consider closely what I am telling you,” he reminded them. “We are on our way to the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem), where all the words of the prophets about the True Human Being will come to pass. 32He will be handed over to the People of Iron (Romans).#18:32 Lit. Gentiles They will treat him shamefully, spit on him, 33and put him to death, but on the third day he will come back to life.”

34But his twelve message bearers did not understand what he was saying. The meaning was hidden from their eyes.

A BLIND MAN HEALED

35As they walked the road toward Village of Peace (Jerusalem), they came to Moon Village (Jericho). A blind man was sitting by the road begging for food. 36When he heard the sound of the passing crowd, he asked what was happening. 37He was told that Creator Sets Free (Jesus), from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth), was passing by.

38The blind man cried out in a loud voice, “Creator Sets Free (Jesus), descendant of Much Loved One (David), have pity on me!”

39The people in the front of the crowd scolded him and said, “Be quiet!”

That only made him cry out louder, “Descendant of Much Loved One (David), have pity on me!”

40Creator Sets Free (Jesus) stopped walking and told them to bring the man to him. When the man was close, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked him, 41“What do you want from me?”

“Wisdomkeeper,” he said, “heal my eyes, so I can see again.”

42“Open your eyes and look around,” he told the man. “Your trust in me has healed you.”

43As soon as he said this, the man could see!

The people laughed with joy as the man blinked his eyes and looked into their faces.

Right then the man began to walk the road with Creator Sets Free (Jesus), giving honor to the Great Spirit. And all the people who saw this also sang songs to thank the Great Spirit.

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