Short Stories
The wind whipped around the cottage, and inside a different kind of wind swept about. The emotions were as ruthless as a windswept shoreline, bared of artifice, the younger man faced the older, an almost tangible wall of antagonism between them. The younger man had his head up, a strange glow in his eyes as he watched the colour in his father's face change from pink to deep red.
'I cannot allow you to do this Jonas. You have been brought up to know the truth of scripture. We taught you all we could, as an only son, one beloved of his parents. How can you be so deceived to believe this man who breaks the Sabbath, and says He is God. We are so ashamed of you Jonas.' He paused and a tear rolled from one eye. 'You know mother loves you.'
The older man paused and gave a quick glance into a darkened corner of the room where Jonas' mother was sitting, listening but not watching. She was clutching her dark cloak to her, her eyes downcast, and Jonas saw a glistening drop fall from her cheek. A pang of sadness enveloped him and he wanted to go to her, but his father's hard relentlessly goading voice went on.
'How could you dare to speak to the priests so? How could you pretend that you were more knowledgable than they? You have brought disgrace upon this house.' His voice broke and he choked to stop the tirade. 'This man, you...This man...Who is he? Dorcas says He is a miracle worker. That I believe. But how could you bring so much disgrace upon this house that you would believe this man to be our Messiah. He is an impostor!' His voice rose to a screech of vehemence.
Jonas spoke at last, his voice gently placating. 'You are upset father. Yes, I can see that now. I've never seen you upset, and I have never seen many other things in my life. It is such joy to be able to see your face, my mothers dear face, and Miriam's, that I forgive you this slowness of heart to believe. I will go now and leave you to think upon this. Remember that I love you both dearly and I do not wish you to do anything in haste. You will one day see our Messiah as I do.'
'No, my son. The decision is in your hand. If you do not give up this foolishness, you know the consequences. You saw what happened to Jacob. He cannot show his face in the street now, or go to the temple.'
Jonas' chin lifted perceptibly. 'Those men are sharks father. They are only out to get your money and your life. They want to capture you and make you subservient to them in every facet of your life. They do not really worship God, they have rejected this man, Jesus. How do they know He is not the Messiah? They protest in hypocrisy. They do not wish to believe Him because they would have to relinquish their social status. They would have to believe what He said. They know what they teach is not from our God, it is a lot of man made tradition. They would lose face father.'
His father listened with his face a thunderous scowl, his cheeks a deep purple. 'How could this be so?' Was it a question he was asking, or was he merely angry at his son's claims.
'The scriptures teach that we look for a Saviour, a Messiah. I believe that He has come. He has healed me and now I see.' Jonas gave a sigh of gladness. 'This Jesus met me last evening father, and asked me if I believed in the Son of Man, and He told me that He is this man - the One we have been looking for, this Saviour. I believed Him. He will do more wonderful things yet I know. This afternoon I am going to find Him and His followers and hear Him teach. Miriam is coming with me.'
He heard a gasp from the woman in the dark corner, and muffled pleading. 'Joseph!'
'I wish you would come too mother.' Jonas turned back to his father. 'Jesus told me that He was the judge, that He came to reveal to us the truth of the Old Testament.'
'Now you teach me, as you did the priests! I am ashamed of you.'
'You forbid father?'
'Do not call me father!' There was no mistaking the way the conversation had turned, from coaxing to angry implacable determination.
Jonas glanced at his mother, her sobs now audible, her face buried in her cloak. For the first time in his life he could see his parents, and now the joy of seeing them, sharing their lives was to be brutally torn from him. He realised there was little he could expect but the same behaviour Jacob had received from his parents when he had followed the crowds, heard the teaching, seen the miracles this great man Jesus had done. Jacob had believed too, that this man was indeed who He claimed to be, the living, breathing epitome of God. Who could doubt it, who had been with Him, heard His gracious words, and seen Him healing the sick. Some said He had raised a young man from his burial bier as they had been on their way to bury him. Surely such a man could hardly be just a man.
'I understand what you are trying to say father, and I will always call you father.' Jonas added to the angry protest from his father.
'You will leave this house. Go and pack all your things. Do not leave anything here that would bring grief to your mother to see. I do not wish to see your face again. If I do, I will not know you. I do not wish to do any business with you, and I will not further your business in any way.'
'Please father...' His protestations were cut off by angry recriminations.
'No, do not interrupt. We do not wish to see you again. Your name will be removed from our family history and all your relatives and friends notified that as from this day you have ceased to be our child. Tomorrow we will have the ceremony which blots out your existence from our family.'
A loud wail began from his mother, and Jonas took three steps toward her before his father pushed him aside. 'Go and pack your things. You have done enough damage to our family's reputation.'
The cold retort tore at Jonas' heart. Was there nothing he could do to retrieve the situation? His father's cold, snake-like gaze transfixed him and warned him to leave his mother alone.
A small sob escaped Jonas lips as he turned away. What else could he do? His father was elderly, his mind made up, and God knew Jonas would never be able to change that. There was nothing. Nothing to do just now. Perhaps tomorrow when the heat of anger had settled, his father would feel differently.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 874 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Janet Brown or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 874 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.