A Father’s Estate (A Parable)

A family grew up on a beautiful estate that had been in the family for generations. It was acquired a few acres at a time over many years by the hard work and efforts of the father’s forebears.

The father passed and his children lived in the mansion. They put caretakers in charge of everything, and went off to eat, drink and be merry. The caretakers lived in mansion and used the property as if it was their own, but they didn’t maintain it. They didn’t adequately protect home and grounds from the vermin that had run roughshod over the neighbors’ homes.

They also mortgaged the property and spent the money on their own pleasures. The children grew concerned and began to examine things. By the time they discovered the termites, the structure of the mansion was beyond repair. It would have to be burned to the ground, all the debris removed, and rebuilt from the foundation.

But as it appeared that the creditors might seize the property, the future of the great estate, and the father’s children, was very much in question.