Churchwarden and Salesman is based on Luke 18:10-14
Two people went to a church service, one a churchwarden and the other a door-to-door salesman. After the service, they both stayed behind to pray.
The churchwarden stood by herself in front of the church altar and started praying out loud. She told God: “Thank you, God, that I’m not like other people. Because I don’t rob people. I don’t do evil things. I’ve never even had sex outside marriage. I’m certainly not like that salesman over there, who spends all his time lying to people.
No, I give generously to charity – a tenth of my entire income – and when I fast, which I do all through Lent, the money saved goes straight to the Church. “
The salesman, meanwhile, was in a corner of the church. She didn’t even look at the altar, but sank down on one of the chairs and said quietly to herself, over and over: “Lord, forgive me. I know I’ve done wrong.”
Then Jesus said: “So who went home right with God? It was the salesman, it wasn’t the churchwarden. I’m telling you, everyone who thinks they’re so, so amazing – they’ll end up being brought down. But the people who know they’re nothing special? They’re the ones who God’ll make great.”
Previous parable: The Leaflet Distributors (Matthew 20:1-16)
Next parable: The Rich Idiot (Luke 12: 16-20)
Commentary on The Churchwarden and Salesman.
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