One day all the children gathered on the back lawn. “I will be king of the ants,” the first little boy said. But then the second stepped forward and said, “No, I will be king of the ants.” And then what do you think? The third declared the same thing, and the fourth didn’t want to be left out, and well - it might have gone rather impolitely after that, for little boys are more prone to using fists than words, but for a little girl who stepped forward. And the little girl said, “Only one of you will be king of the ants, and this is how we will decide. Whoever can make the ants love him will be king.”
The boys agreed, and thus the test began.
Said the first little boy, “I know! I will give the ants a picture of me. A very small picture that they can carry into their homes and hang up on their walls and stare at all day. And so they will see and love me.” But when he tried, the ants carried the picture underground and vanished in every direction. And the little boy thought, “Hm. Seeing a picture of me is not the same as loving me.” And he did not know what to do.
Meanwhile, the second little boy said, “I know! I will find honey, and I will rub it on my hands and feet and arms and legs. Then the ants will come to the honey, and so they will love me.” But when he tried, the ants came and ate the honey and then wandered off in every direction. And the little boy thought, “Hm. Eating the honey I give is not the same as loving me.” And he did not know what to do.
Said the third little boy, “I know! I will speak to the ants. Loud and slow and clear. Then they will hear my voice and love me.” But when he tried, the ants thought it was angry thunder and flew terrified in every direction. And the little boy thought, “Hm. Hearing my voice is not the same as loving me.” And he did not know what to do.
Meanwhile, the fourth little boy said, “I know! I will get a box, and I will put the ants in the box. I will feed them and water them, and they will be safe in the box, and so they will love me.” But when he tried, the ants refused to stay in the box but escaped in every direction. And the little boy thought, “Hm. Wanting safety is not the same thing as loving me.” And he did not know what to do.
Now for all I know, those four little boys and their befuddled little ants are still sitting on the back lawn, not knowing what to do (although I am quite sure the girl has left by now). But you are waiting for the moral of the story, and it is this: What four boys could not accomplish, one God did. Not by sending pictures, bribery, sensationalism, or security. So, how did He do it? Simply this: He sent Himself.
