The Parable of The Blindfold
Thomas tilts with his telephone in the early morning, preparing to leave a message.
“Yes hello… I’m a patient at The Lucky Ones Clinic. And I need to cancel my appointment today with my doctor, Lady Luck. Something came up. But I have enough of your 4-Leaf-Clover Cream to last me until we can reschedule. Thanks! Bye.”
Thomas drops the phone next to a map he is still starring at, along with a business card he kept, matching the addresses. And practically tip-toeing to his car, Thomas proceeds out of town to the new destination.
“Hi!” a hospital clerk greets Thomas as he arrives inside, “can I help you sir?”
“Good morning! I’m Thomas Walker and have an appointment with Doctor Powers.”
“Sure! Please follow me to the office.”
Thomas continues to look around ensuring he’s not noticed by anyone from his town.
“Good morning,” the new Doctor walks inside, “is it Thomas Walker?”
“Dr. Powers,” Thomas says shaking her hand. “Thanks for agreeing see me.”
“My pleasure. But we’re on a first name basis her. Please just call me Faith.
“You got it! Faith, I heard about you through my friend Christian. She tells me you’re the best!”
“Well it’s actually a team effort,” Faith smiles. “Let’s make it your turn to feel better! How can I help?”
“Well my skin type is extremely sensitive to sunlight. And I live in a desert, with no real way to block it! Until I can afford to move, I’ve been using a medicated 4-Leaf-Clover Cream to lessen the effects.”
“Wow,” Faith says, “someone must have to really ‘lay it on thick!”
“Yeah, my original doctor does. It helps a little, but it’s really expensive! And she insists it’s the only way! So I guess I’m here for a second opinion.”
“Sure,” Faith replies, “let’s run some tests and I think I can help you with that.”
Much to the surprise of Thomas, Faith actually begins by checking his blood pressure.
“Oh this is good news!” Faith says, “Thomas I’m happy to offer you a cheaper and better alternative. Based on these tests, your condition actually needs physical therapy, not medicated creams. And, if you like, we can begin right now! ”
“Absolutely!”
“So let’s head to my operating room. And, for this to work, I’ll need to blindfold you first. Then I’ll take your hand and lead you inside a machine where you’ll vary your speeds when I tell you to. Are you ready?”
Although unsure how this will help, Thomas submits. Faith begins her unique procedure.
Time passes by unnoticed as Thomas awakes from a deep sleep. And he finds himself somehow back inside his bed at home! But before he can call this whole experience a dream, he notices a doctor’s note signed by Faith. But as he holds it up to the window to read it, no sunlight shines through. In fact there’s no heat to be felt either! Puzzled, Thomas turns on a lamp. And he immediately notices his incredibly smooth, cooled, healthy skin.
“Oh my!” Thomas drops the letter and runs to his mirror. He looks completely revitalized and renewed. But along with his image reflection, he sees a new, giant object outside his window. Turning around, Thomas finally realizes what has happened: somehow a mountain has moved to block the sunlight from the house, forever protecting his skin condition.
After hours of pinching himself and crying tears of joy, Thomas returns to Faith’s note:
‘Keep the rest of these mustard seeds, Thomas. Doctor’s orders!’
To Be Continued…
*Moral, Discussion Questions, & Fun Facts are revealed after full story. So stand firm with Faith as this parable continues… and Faith is tested!
Story Symbolism
* Lady Luck = Superstitions, Myths
* Dr. Faith Powers = Faith
* (Doubting) Thomas = Mankind
* Business Card = Change
* Map = Mind State
* Prescriptions = Insistence
* Desert = Deserted Place
* Christian = Fellowship
* Skin = Potential
* Sunlight = Exposure to Doubt
* Physical Therapy = Action
Part 2: Testing Faith
Thomas holds up the remaining mustard seeds, literally cool enough to wonder if he’ll ever need the 4 Leaf Clover Cream again. Perhaps Faith knew was she was doing after all, though Thomas couldn’t determine how. As he keeps pondering how, his phone begins to ring.
“Hello?” Thomas answers.
“Good afternoon! I’m Katelyn with the Good News Team, preparing you in advance that we’ll be doing a story on the miracle in your town. Did you by chance witness any of while it was happening? Could we interview you?”
“I did not witness it. But I think I know how it happened! Please come over.”
Moments later the doorbell rings.
“Coming!” Thomas yells while adjusting his best tie. He tried calling Faith, but couldn’t reach her. He retrieve the business card that started it all. And as he arrives, he opens his door to another memory.
“Oh…Lady Luck.” Thomas reacts, “I didn’t know you made house calls! I appreciate it but right now’s not a good t…”
“She’s not a real doctor, Thomas! Faith is a fraud.”
“How did you know that…”
“I saw you go in her office, okay.” Lady Luck explains while massaging her rabbit’s foot. “Luckily, I was ‘at the right place at the right time,’ Thomas. I came to take you back to The Lucky Ones Clinic and hopefully undo whatever Faith did.”
“Are you kidding?” Thomas replies, “With all due respect, the way Faith works is more effective. Before I even knew this mountain was moved, I rested better. I didn’t just sit still and let everyone ‘rub it in,’ I finally got up! I walked with Faith.”
“And when you walked with Faith…. I bet you were blindfolded.”
“I was,” Thomas replies in curiosity. “Why?”
“Well,” Lady Luck laughs, “let me show what you didn’t see as you walked blindly with Faith, in another room, increasing your speed.”
Lady Luck hands Thomas a picture of him blindfolded at Faith’s office, on a treadmill.
“How can this be real?” Thomas says through embarrassment.
“I told you she’s a con-artist! Why is this so… oh I see! You thought Faith moved this mountain?”
Laughter increases in Lady Luck, as Thomas sees the Good News Team arriving for an interview.
“Hey,” Lady Luck grabs Thomas arm, “this town’s not big enough for two doctors. So if you even mention Faith to them, I’ll embarrass you with these pictures and your gullible story.”
Thomas runs emotionally past everyone and into his car, to everyone’s surprise. Driving off quickly, he can still feel the laugher from Lady Luck and all who she might tell. Once again, Thomas retrieves the business card and drives even more intently than before.
Walking past the secretary, and into Faith’s procedure room, Thomas looks around to see a true account of a treadmill.
“Thomas,” Faith walks in, “is everything okay?”
“How could you play with my feelings like this?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I trusted you.”
“Yeah… and you’re condition has improved, Thomas! You are making a… molehill out of a mountain!”
“So… it’s true?” Thomas clarifies. “You moved that mountain? How? And why did you need me to embarrass myself by moving around on a treadmill?”
“Thomas let me show you.” Faith says pulling out the familiar blindfold. “Perception contaminates the procedure! The challenge is not me shielding this place from you; it is me shielding you THIS place. You don’t need thick-skin when you’re not exposed.”
Thomas continues to listen.
“As for the physical therapy? Well… we had to get you heart pumping, at least enough to move past your ‘doubting, Thomas!’ And we had to work together. Remember when I told you this is a team effort? We needed each other’s energy. And apparently it was enough for you to work with!”
“What do you mean by ‘enough for me to work with?”
“Oh ye of little faith,” The doctor smiles, “I didn’t move that mountain. You did!”
The End
Moral
Faith is a biblically-approved, blindfolded journey within the spiritual rights we have as God’s children. And the celebration belongs to the “team effort” between the grace of God and the willingness of Christians to walk with it. Faith is a process is too amazing to be confused with luck.
Story Symbolism
* Lady Luck = Superstitions, Myths
* The Clinic = Challenges
* Dr. Faith Powers = Faith
* (Doubting) Thomas = Mankind
* Business Card = Change
* Map = Mindstate
* Prescriptions = Insistence
* Desert = Deserted Place
* Christian = Fellowship
* Skin = Potential
* Sunlight = Exposure to Doubt
* Physical Therapy = Action
* Treadmill = Obstacles
* Good News Team = Joyful Testimony
Fun Facts
* The words “doubting” and “Thomas” appear together toward the story’s end, mentioning the disciple “Doubting Thomas.”
* The mustard seeds left by Dr. Faith attribute the biblical process (Matthew 17:20)
* The doctor’s full name (Faith Powers) is designed like an incomplete sentence. It is “a team effort” with mankind.
* Lady Luck had her “practice” as a doctor in the desert (deserted place) where Thomas lived.
* As Thomas explained his predicament to Faith, his statement that he couldn’t afford to “move” is a double meaning.
* When Faith said that “someone” was “really is laying it on thick,” she never said who!
Discussion Questions
* How did you (or your listeners) feel when the picture of the treadmill was revealed? Share a story of your own when your faith was tested.
* Why do you suppose Lady Luck followed her doubts in Faith with a threat to embarrass Thomas if he mentioned her to others? Did Lady Luck seem more jealous or afraid of Faith?
* When Faith said that “someone” was “really is laying it on thick,” she never said who! How likely is it that Thomas knew what she was talking about? Share your thoughts.
Exposing Lady Luck!
Lady Luck's personality and real intentions toward Tom are inspired by the book Narcissistic Puzzle Peace by the same author. The “puzzle” is a double metaphor for both feeling puzzled and somehow fitting with the puzzle pieces causing it all! Step-by-step awareness becomes a "peace" from the puzzle.
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I Corinthians 16:13
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Ephesians 6:16
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
James 1:3
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
II Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
I Peter 5:9
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
I Thessalonians 3:7
Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.
I Corinthians 2:5
That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
I John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.