Once upon a time a great prince called his servants together to explain to them their responsibilities. “You shall be responsible for delivering water to me,” he said. “You shall carry water up the hill in wooden buckets. Do you understand?” All the servants said that they understood, and they began to carry water.

At first everyone was content to use the wooden buckets as the prince had instructed. But soon some were suggesting that the wooden buckets were “old fashioned” and many were beginning to use other kinds of buckets. Some made themselves iron buckets while others began to use brass buckets. One group reasoned that since they were in the service of the Great Prince that they should seek to honor him properly. So they made themselves golden buckets encrusted with jewels.

After a long time some of the more thoughtful water carriers began to review the prince’s instructions. “Did not our prince tell us to use wooden buckets?” they asked. So they decided to return to the original instructions and to do all things exactly as their prince had told them. They were immediately met with ridicule and even persecution from those who had long ago given up the idea of wooden buckets, but they were steadfast and did their best to convince all the others to follow their example. It was with great joy that they again carried water for the great prince in the way they had been instructed.

It was only a few days later that the “wooden bucket people” could be seen gathering for their “wooden bucket meetings.” They would spend the whole day talking about wooden buckets, thinking about wooden buckets, singing about wooden buckets. but their greatest joy came from quoting the great prince’s instruction concerning wooden buckets.

At last, after many years, came the day when the servants were to give account to the great prince for their services. One by one those who had failed to heed the instructions to bring water in wooden buckets were condemned for their failure to obey. Finally came the “wooden bucket people”. Proudly they came, showing their wooden buckets. Can you imagine their surprise when the prince said to them, “you have not understood at all; I have no interest in buckets, wooden or otherwise. I instructed you to bring me water in wooden buckets. For these many years you have brought me no water at all.”

Dear reader, what punishment do you think is just for those who brought no water at all.

Well, it wasn’t too hard to see where that story was going. But it is good way to drive home an old familiar point. We are correct in our concern to be careful, even meticulous in keeping the instructions of our GREAT PRINCE: to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11), and “to not exceed what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6). That might apply to the worship, organization, work of the church, etc. The wooden bucket people would be proud of us.

BUT, of course the prince in the parable had no interest in wooden buckets. They were simply a means to an end. It was the water he wanted. What does Jesus want from us? What is inside the bucket! He wants our hearts! And even then, only a certain kind of heart will do. He asks for (1) a “broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:16-17); (2) A submissive heart (1 Samuel 15:22-23); and (3) a pure and upright heart (Micah 6:6-8). In other words, to come before the Great Prince we must be like Him.

So, the moral of the story is this: if you are a wooden bucket person, by all means use a wooden bucket. But if you want the Lord’s commendation – please don’t forget the water. Mike