Parable of the servants

     This is my first attempt at writing a parable. I know it won't be as effective as Jesus's parables but I hope that someone reading this can gain something.
     There were two servants. One was obedient to his master. He went out of his way to become familiar with his master's desires so he could anticipate his requests even before being commanded. He also made an effort to educate himself on his own time so he could benefit his master through his increased knowledge of things in the world. The other servant would only do what his master wanted if he agreed with the master's reasons and he felt like doing it at the time. He challenged and doubted the master in everything. His thinking was that he shouldn't have to do anything that didn't give himself pleasure or benefit him in some way. He was even content to let others serve the master  while he pursued his own interests. With which servant do you think the master was more pleased?
     There are many people on the earth who are more like the second servant than the first- even among those who might identify themselves as being followers of Jesus Christ. They have taken His name upon them and purport to be among His disciples. However, they rarely think about Him much less about what He might want them to do. There is much fear about "losing freedom" by giving up what you as an individual might choose in deference to what the Master might require. Once they hear about the Savior's sacrifice and Atonement, they are happy to just go their merry way expecting they will just be accepted the way they are so their behavior doesn't matter. We have been given great freedom by a loving Father in Heaven. He knows that only by using our agency will we be able to end up where we want to be. Jesus did say that He came not to bring peace but to bring division- even in families and in-laws. Much as we might love our family members, we cannot be with them forever if we make different moral choices than they do. The opportunity to live in a free, pleasant society will only come to those who have chosen self-discipline to be pleasant, obedient people willing to follow righteous laws. The Lord has said that those who make a law unto themselves and cannot abide His laws cannot live with Him. I pray every day that hearts can be softened and stiff necks can be loosened so those who have good intentions can develop a desire to be more obedient to God's laws. We need to be meek, lowly, and trusting. We need to strive harder to hear the whisperings of the Spirit to guide us in our everyday choices even if it means struggling to shut out the shouts of the world. We need to become masters over our physical, mortal bodies by strengthening our spiritsand controlling our appetites. Those who may chafe at the thought of being a servant or having a master clearly have not acquainted themselves with the Master. He wants only the happiness and well-being of all His servants. He can be trusted. Some day we will each get what we want most- whatever that might be.