{16} Rich Like a River

Day 16 of 31 Days.  For Day 1, click on the image above.

“I want you to share in my inheritance,” the prince said to his bride as they stood in the midst of his vast treasury.  “I want you to be rich like me.”

“I want to be,” Jewel answered.  “It’s just incomprehensible to me that you would care to make me rich after all you’ve done for me.”

“Oh, Jewel!” he shouted, filling up the cavern with his voice.  “Nothing brings me greater joy!  I long to lavish you with my love and adorn you with my riches because that is who I am, and more than anything, I want you to reflect who I am.” 

She wanted to be like him.  The more she knew him, the more that desire grew.  But she felt so indebted to him already.  “I could never repay you for any of this,” Jewel said sadly.

“Jewel!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.  “Have you now started keeping score?  Because if you have, tell me, how are you doing?”

Jewel knew the answer but didn’t say anything.

“Look at all that I have,” he said, spreading his arms wide.  “I own everything.  I do not need you to earn it, nor do I want you to repay anything I give you.  You could not add anything to my riches if you made it your life’s ambition, nor could you take away anything from it.”

Jewel knew that was true as well.  She could not even see to the far corner of the room, and every inch of it was piled high with treasure.  Even if she filled her pockets, it would be like stealing sand from the sea.

“You’re so used to thinking that there’s only so much, and no more, because you come from a kingdom that is small and limited.  Everything must be earned or repaid, and you all lived in terrible fear that you might not get your share before it all runs out.”

Jewel remembered that feeling far too well.  It churned in her stomach even then and filled her with suspicion and fear even though she was surrounded by good things.

The prince cut into her thoughts.  “But Jewel, what if my kingdom was limitless—infinite—and what if there was always more?  And what if ‘getting your share’ had nothing to do with you and everything to do with me?”

Rich like a river

As soon as he said it, she saw that it was so.

“Any one of my people can come into this room at any time and take all they want.  The door is not locked, remember?  In fact, I delight to see them use my gifts because I am not like the ruler you once served.  He is like a small cup of water.  But I am the river.”   

Jewel blinked in the light of the gems and tried to comprehend what the prince was trying to say.  “How can that be?”

“Because I am not like any other, Jewel, and my riches are not like the riches of any other kingdom.  They are far, far better.  You can drink all you want, and there will always be more.  My riches won’t run out.  You don’t need to earn or repay them—what need does a river have for you to repay it for a drink?  There will always be enough.”

Jewel could see that, just by looking.  “It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard,” she said, as understanding began to flow into her mind.  “I have never known anything so amazing.”

“Jewel, let me make you lovely with my riches.”

She smiled at him.  “Yes.  But how?  I’m afraid I would not know where to begin.  I do not know anything about being rich.”

“Well,” the prince said, taking her hand in his once more, “it just so happens, I am an excellent teacher.” 

*Join us tomorrow for Day 17.