THE JUGGLER’S FOLLY
Chad was born in Italy but came to the United States as a young man.He became so skilled that he achieved worldwide fame as a juggler. As he grew up, he took up juggling.The time of youth flew by, and before he knew it, he was in his fifties. Having gained much wealth and fame, he was ready to retire.
Chad invested his entire life savings in a single, enormous diamond. He placed the diamond in his suitcase and boarded a ship bound for his homeland, where he planned to spend the rest of his life.
While aboard the ship, he entertained a young boy by juggling a few apples. Soon, a crowd gathered.
Chad then opened his suitcase, took out the diamond, and held it up for the crowd to see. He explained to them it was his entire life's savings. Then, he began juggling it alongside the apples.
The excitement of the audience drove him to take more risks, tossing the diamond higher with each round. At one point, he threw it high into the air and the crowd gasped.
They pleaded with him to stop. But, Chad threw it even higher. Again, the crowd held its breath, sighing in relief when he caught it.
Filled with confidence in his skills, Chad told the crowd he would throw it up one last time-this time so high it would be out of sight for a moment. Again, they begged him not to do it.
But, he threw the diamond high into the air. It actually disappeared for a moment. Then the diamond returned into view, sparkling in the sunlight. Just then, the ship lurched. The diamond slipped through his fingers and into the sea, lost forever.
We all feel the weight of Chad's loss with his life's fortune gone forever. Yet, God tells us that our souls are worth far more than all the world's possessions.
This story carries a powerful moral lesson about warning against placing trust in worldly wealth and personal abilities instead of in God. Just as Chad gambled with his life’s fortune for temporary applause, many people take risks with their souls, assuming they have control over time and fate. Mark 8:36 reminds us, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Earthly possessions and achievements are fleeting, but the soul is eternal.
Chad’s overconfidence mirrors the warning in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” His loss illustrates the folly of ignoring wisdom, much like those who reject God’s call to salvation, believing they have more time.
Furthermore, the story highlights the uncertainty of life, as seen in James 4:14, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes..” The sudden lurch of the ship symbolizes the unpredictable nature of life, showing that disaster can strike when least expected.
Just as the crowd pleaded with Chad to stop, God often sends warnings through His Word, people, and circumstances, urging us to turn to Him before it is too late. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice Proverbs 12:15.
The story is a call to seek true security in Christ rather than in material wealth or personal skill because only through Him can we find eternal life and lasting peace. “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation – 2 Corinthians 6:2”.
MAY WE HEED TO JESUS’S WARNINGS
IN OUR LIFE IN THESE LAST DAYS