Steadfastness

Two stories V told me today that Abdu'l Baha once recited to demonstrate what our relationship to God should be like.

Story 1:

A long time ago, in the kingdom of a very wise and just king, there lived a poor shepherd named Ayas. Ayas lived in poverty, but his life was an example of a virtuous soul. Above all, however, he lived in complete awe and love of the king of the land.

One day Ayas heard that the king would be traveling on a road that went very close to where he lived. In full excitement, he rose early that day, and stood for hours by the road, hoping to get a glimpse of him whom he adored.

As the king passed through in the heat of the day, he was surprised to see a lonely soul standing by the side of the road in what appeared to be great ecstasy. He had the man brought to him, and asked him why he was standing there, and what he wanted from him. To which Ayas replied, "Nothing, my lord. All I wished was to look at your face."

The king was impressed by Ayas's honesty, devotion and detachment, for he had never met someone who did not want something from so rich a ruler. So he offered him a post as his treasurer. Ayas accepted, and applied himself to his job with great zeal. Such was his dedication that he soon grew to be one of the king's most trusted ministers, a fact that was highly resented by the rest of the king's cabinet.

The ministers sought to find a way to bring Ayas down in the eyes of the emperor, and their chance came when one of them observed Ayas going secretly into a room one evening and staying there all night. They saw him doing this every day, and so went to the king and told him that Ayas was stealing from the treasury and storing everything in a secret room, so he could one day leave with it all.

The king was highly distressed when he heard this, so he hid himself that evening near the room. And true enough, there came Ayas as the sun went down, and let himself into the room. The king left his hiding place and softly opened the door a crack to see what Ayas was doing. He was, however, aghast to see that the room was completely empty - save for a set of old clothes in front of which Ayas was sitting.

The king flung the door open, and walked in and asked, "What in heaven's name are you doing, Ayas?" Ayas turned and replied, "I was but a poor shepherd, my lord, before you brought me to this palace and gave me all the gifts you have. And so I spend my nights in front of my old shepherd's clothing, so I never forget my humble origins, and the fact that all that I have now comes from you, and not me."

Story 2:

Ayas was sitting with the king one day, and having melons which the king was handing out. As the emperor gave him a piece of the fruit, Ayas put it in his mouth and expressed his delight at how sweet the fruit was, and how heavenly it tasted. Seeing his reaction, the king took a piece from the same fruit and tasted it - only to find it was one of the most bitter melons he had ever tasted!

As he flung the piece away in disgust, he turned to Ayas and asked, "How could you like that piece, it was one of the most bitter melons I've ever had!" To which Ayas replied with full sincerity, "My lord, over the years you have given me so many sweet melons that now every piece tastes sweet to me."

I leave the reader to unpack the metaphors in these (what might seem rather simplistic) stories.