WHO PUSHED ME!

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There is the story of a king who had only one daughter whom he cherished and wanted to give out in marriage. He made an announcement to eligible suitors to show up in his palatial mansion for a contest. The winner, the king said would not only have his beautiful daughter for a wife but would also have a third of the kingdom and a third of the king’s personal estate.


On hearing this announcement, bachelors and even married men showed up for the contest! In fact, men from other villages were part of the contestants jostling for the king’s reward. It was the D-Day already and you could see at least 300 suitors. The king came out to address the burgeoning crowd at exactly 10:30 am, thus:
“Welcome young men into my humble abode; I have a little test for you all and whoever passes it gets the reward earlier announced. Come with me!” The men, eagerly followed the king; some of them running with enthusiasm. They finally got to a swimming pool at the back of the king’s mansion where the king halted. Some of the men became frightened instantly at the sight of five giant-sized crocodiles and five alligators strategically placed from the beginning to the end of the king’s swimming pool. “Was this a ploy to send them to their untimely graves? Or was this a ritual the king was about to use their bodies for?” Some of the men thought, still trembling.


Finally, the king spoke, “Well, as you can see, this is a swimming pool and the first man to swim from here and come out on the other side has the reward.” At this point, the men froze to their tracks. Soon, murmuring filled the air. Five minutes later, one man left, another followed and then another… until only twenty of the three hundred were left- weighing their options and dialoguing.


While this was ongoing, a tall man, pushed a younger man into the river. Splash! Splash! Splash! The men heard and they turned only to see a man in the pool swimming hard to beat the alligators and crocodiles. They were all shocked but before the men could react, the young man was on the other side panting heavily while shouting on top of his voice, “Who pushed me!” The king rushed to meet him and with a surprised look, spoke:







“Young man, you amaze me! Congratulations! I never actually expected anyone to go this far to have my daughter as you have just done. However, I must make an important comment; the five alligators and the five crocodiles were only harmless plastic toys made to look real by my engineers. Yet, you will still have all the rewards I promised you – my daughter, a third of the kingdom and a third of my estate. Come, brave man! Follow me!”


The young man followed him, lost in deep thoughts – He knew  he had not gone into the river all by himself and if not for that single push, he would never have believed that he could actually make it. That incident had taught him that there is enormous potential buried deep within every human on the planet- all waiting to find expression and once in a while a push is needed to realize and actualize these potentials, talents and gifts that God freely gives us.

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