Keeping Promises

A few days ago, I read a story that I’d like to share with you. It is a rather long story, but it tells an important story about a whole slew of things. I loved it, and I hope you do too.

There is a story of a lion locked in a cage in a forest. A monkey stopped by, and the lion said to him, “You walk freely under the sky while I count my days behind this iron. Is there no mercy left in this forest?” The monkey said in reply, “Mercy is not the problem; memory is. We remember what you are.” “And what am I now?” Asked the lion. “Hungry,” replied the monkey. “That is enough,” said the lion.

“Please - even kings fall, must I die like this?” The lion asked a deer that passed by the iron cage. “Better a fallen king in a cage than a free one with blood on his mouth.” Said the deer, and then she walked away.  

A goat walked by, and when the lion asked for help, the goat said, “You have asked many; why should I be different?” “Because you listened,” said the lion. “Listening is not trusting,” said the goat. “Then let me earn it. I am tired of hunger, tired of being feared. Set me free, and I will not harm you.” The goat opened the cage for the lion. And the moment the lion got out of the cage, he attempted to attack the goat. "Freedom smells different,” the lion said to the goat. “You gave me your word,” replied the goat. “I gave my word in weakness. Now I stand in strength. Everything changes with hunger,” said the lion. “Wait,” said the goat. “If strength decides truth, then there is no justice. Let others judge between us.” “Very well, let the forest decide your fate,” said the lion.

The goat took the lion to the Zebra. “Please, I need your help.” “Help?” With him standing there? Asked the Zebra. “Yes,” said the goat. “I know how it looks, but I found him trapped in a cage, weak and starving. He begged me to set him free.” “And you did?” Asked the Zebra. “I did, but not without a promise. I made him swear clearly that he would not harm me. He agreed. He gave me his word,” the goat said. “And now?” asked the zebra. “Now that he is free, he said the hunger matters more than his promise.” “You are asking me to stand between you and a lion?” asked the zebra. “I am asking you to stand for truth. Is a promise nothing? Does strength decide what is right?” asked the goat. “Truth is not always safe to speak,” said the zebra. “So, fear is now the law of the land?” asked the goat. “Fear is survival. I cannot judge this, not with him watching, not with my life at stake,” said the Zebra. “Then who will speak? Who will defend what is right?” said the goat. “There is a buffalo beyond the river, strong and not easily shaken. If anyone dares to judge this matter, it is he.” The zebra said. “Thank you,” the goat said. “Go quickly,” said the zebra.

The lion walked with the goat to see the buffalo. When they got there, the goat spoke first, “Great buffalo, please, I beg you, hear my case.” “Your voice carries fear. Speak then,” the buffalo said. “I found this lion trapped in a cage, weak, starving, and close to death. He begged for freedom. But now he says his hunger is greater than his promise. He wants to eat me. I asked that others judge between us what is right, what is just.” The goat said. “And who have you asked before me?” the buffalo asked. “A zebra, but fear closed his mouth. He said he could not judge, not with a lion watching.” “Fear is a heavy chain. It binds even the strong.” The buffalo said. “Then will you judge?” asked the goat. “Strength is not the same as recklessness. Some truths can cause more than they are worth,” the buffalo responded. “So even strength bows to fear?” asked the goat. “No. Strength chooses its battles. But this matter needs more than strength; it needs sharpness of mind,” the buffalo said. “Then where do I go?” asked the goat. “There is a parrot who lives by the tall silk cotton tree. He sees much, hears more, and sits out trembling. If anyone can judge this matter wisely, it is he,” said the buffalo. The goat thanked him and departed, but not before he said this: “Go quickly. Wisdom waits but not forever.”

“Wise parrot, please listen to me. I need judgment,” said the goat. “Judgments fly best on truth, speak,” the parrot said. “I found this lion trapped in a cage, weak and starving. He begged me to set him free,” said the goat. “And you opened it?" interjected the parrot. “Yes. But I made him promise. He swore he would not harm me. But now that he is free, he wants to eat me. Is that right? Is that justice?” “When would you have sense, goat?” asked the parrot. “I only tried to help.” The goat said, “And look where your help has landed you. You trusted hunger to remember honor?” The parrot asked. “So, kindness is foolishness now?” said the goat. “Kindness without wisdom is an invitation for trouble. You didn’t just open a cage, you opened danger,” the parrot said. “Then judge between us, tell him he is wrong,” said the goat. “No. I will not judge this. Some matters require more than just sharp words. They require sharp minds,” the parrot said. “Then who can help me?” the goat pleaded. “There is one, tortoise.” The parrot said. “Tortoise?” Screamed the goat. “Slow but never foolish. Go to him. If anyone can untangle this mess you have walked into, it is tortoise.” The parrot assured the goat. “Thank you for the truth.” The goat said. “Next time, think before you help.” The parrot said to the goat.

When the tortoise listened to the story, he asked, “A promise broken by convenience? Tell me, does your strength make you right”? “It makes me unquestioned,” said the lion. “Ah. This is more dangerous than being wrong. But I am old. My mind is not as quick. Take me to where it happened and let me see it.” The lion, goat, and tortoise walked back to the cage.

“So, you were inside, and you went outside. I struggle to picture it. Show me.” Said the tortoise. So, the lion walked back into the cage to show the tortoise where he was. And the moment he went back in the cage, the tortoise locked it up.

“What have you done?” asked the goat. “I have restored the truth,” said the tortoise. “Release me at once,” pleaded the lion. “And reward kindness with death again? No,” replied the tortoise. “You tricked him,” said the goat. “No. I revealed him. A promise is not tested when it is easy; it is tested when breaking it benefits you, and you fail. Go. Next time, let wisdom walk before kindness.”

There are more than a few layers of interpretation to this story. But the one I’d encourage us to consider is the monkey's words: “Mercy is not the problem; memory is.” You and I tend to forget; our memories fade. And when we forget the sacred parts of our lives, including the promises we make, they lose their significance.

The people of Israel suffered in Egypt because a new king arose who didn’t know Joseph and the work that he had done in saving the people of Egypt. He would later enslave the people of Israel.

While in exile, the Psalmist who appreciated the sacredness of Jerusalem and the feelings of abandonment caused by the exile wrote this: May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! Despite the harshness of exile, they still wouldn’t forget Jerusalem; Jerusalem remains their greatest joy.

There are times when we feel the disillusionment of life, where opening the cage for the lion to be free doesn't feel like we are opening the door to danger, but only desiring to help. But it nonetheless becomes our exilic moment. Our assurance is that we cannot and shouldn't forget the God who saves us, even in moments like that.

The lion helps us to understand that his promises are worthless because they were made when he was vulnerable. The deer, zebra, buffalo, and parrot all wondered why the goat would rely on the lion’s promise.

But if there’s ever one promise that you and I could depend on, it is the promise of God’s mercy. It isn’t a promise that comes to us because God feels vulnerable; rather, it is a promise that makes our vulnerability disappear.

For as St. Paul would say, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We pray God to make us strong in our weakness, so we can keep the promises we make, even in moments of vulnerability.

Blessed Trinity,

Manny+