The story is told of a king who took pity on a destitute beggar and gave him a position of minor responsibility in the palace. As time went on, the former beggar continued to display integrity in the assignments given to him, and the king continued to promote him until the former beggar became the steward of the king’s entire treasury.
Others in the palace became jealous of this man’s promotions, so they came to the king with charges against the man, telling the king that the man has been sneaking into the king’s treasury every day and stealing jewels little by little.
Determined to investigate their charges, the king hid in the treasury and waited for the former beggar to appear. Sure enough, the former beggar came into the treasury, opened the vault, and took out a package. The king watched carefully as the former beggar unwrapped the package.
Was he about to steal one of the king’s precious jewels? No, the package turned out to consist of the old, tattered clothes the man wore when he was a destitute beggar.
The king’s steward took off his nice clothes and put on his old beggar rags. He stood before a mirror and said to himself, “See what you used to be before. It is the king himself who has made you what you are now. He has given you charge of his treasury. Regard this duty as your most sacred trust, and this honor as evidence of the love and kindness of the king. Never forget the king’s kindness to you and how he lifted you out of your poverty, for it is in remembering this that you will live rightly.”
After saying these words, he took off his beggar rags and returned them to the vault. When he turned around, the king was standing before him. As he tried to bow, the king embraced him and said, “People told me you were stealing my jewels, but on coming here I find that you have stolen my heart.”
To love God is to remember the love God has bestowed on us, and to live our lives in gratitude for his goodness toward us.