The Scholar’s Challenge
There was once a great scholar. Everybody in the kingdom appreciated and respected him because he was so well educated and wise. Unfortunately, in spite of his great wisdom, he also had great pride and arrogance.
One day, this scholar donned a golden necklace and traveled to the palace of another king. There, he announced, “Whoever can defeat me in wisdom will win this necklace from me. I challenge everybody!”
All the scholars in that particular kingdom had heard about this scholar and they were afraid they would lose. So, they would not accept his challenge. Their king was very sad that nobody would accept the challenge.
Finally, a lowly and humble Christian man who had been listening to the scholar said, “I will accept your challenge as I will win and sell your necklace to feed the starving children.”
At hearing this, the king had almost simply surrendered to the scholar but, thinking again, thought it would be amusing to see how this lowly man could compete with this highly educated scholar. He believed he was only a fool and would not be able to win the prize. So, he let this man proceed.
After receiving his king’s approval, he looked-up to Heaven, dropped to his knees and thanked God for all that he had and all he was yet to receive. Going on, he asked, “Father, I am in need of your great wisdom today. Please grant me my prayer. Amen.”
The Christian man, after rising and waiting for God’s response, then said, “I will ask you four questions. if you answer any of my questions correctly, then you will lose, but if all your answers are all incorrect, then I will accept defeat and my king will give you anything you want.”
The scholar, thinking this man was simply ignorant and this was an easy vistory, gladly accepted his proposal.
The lowly man then asked his first question: “Where do you come from?”
The scholar replied, “I live here.” This was incorrect, since he came from another kingdom. So, by giving the wrong answer, the scholar had passed the first part of the test.
The man’s second question was, “How long have you been here?”
“Three years,” the scholar said, which was also incorrect. Still the lowly Christian was unable to trick him.
The third question he asked was, “Our king is good, kind and generous. Do you agree?”
The scholar said, “Your king? What you are saying is totally wrong. Your king is not divine at all and very unkind.” So, again the scholar knew, he had passed another part of the test.
The lowly man, now shaking his head in frustration, then said, “It seems that it will be very difficult for me to defeat you. How many more questions can I ask you?”
The scholar said, “You have asked me three questions; you have one more. If I do not answer it correctly you will lose.”
The Christian, now smiling radiantly, then cried out, “Look and hear! The scholar has lost. He has answered this last question correctly.”
Suddenly realizing his mistake and bowing his head in shame, the scholar gave his necklace to the lowly Christian man who immediately gave it to the king in exchange for money to feed the children. The scholar’s pride was totally smashed. He said, “I will never come to your kingdom to challenge anybody again.”
All the scholars were very impressed by the lowly man’s cleverness. They knew that they would not have been able to defeat the great scholar. The man said, “You see, when great scholars are not alert; not humble; and inattentive, they lose. Had he been aware, he could have saved himself. But I, accepting and thanking God for His wisdom and humbling myself, found it very easy to defeat this wise challenger.”