Kite

Standing on the beach, I see a father and his son flying a kite. A current of wind carries it high into the sky and there it soars. I know that the kite must be pleased. It's doing what it was made to do. Moreover, it's bringing pleasure to the father and son.

But then something odd happens. The happy kite looks over and sees a seagull fly past. Slowly, the kite's contentment gives way to jealously. It begins to think, "I too could fly with such freedom if it were not for this string holding me down." The kite begins to question why the father and son would be so unfair to have tied it down.

This discontentment grows, until finally, SNAP. It breaks it's string.

"Finally, freedom!", the kite declares as it begins to soar through the sky in all manner of new motions.

But the freedom of flight gives way to a rapid downward plunge. Suddenly the kite recognizes it's folly: the string that grounded it was what had allowed it to fly. Detached, physics dictates only one ultimate fate; the kite plunges into the icy ocean waters below.

The waves toss it about. Battered, torn, and without hope, the kite begins to sink. But then a figure appears in the waters nearby. The kite recognizes him. It's the son!

He too is battered by the strong waves, but overcoming them, he pulls the kite ashore.

Together the father and son repair the wretched kite, reattach the string, and set it loose into a mighty gust of wind that carries it high into the sky.

The taunting seagull flies by again, calling to the kite, "Break away from your bondage and join me in freedom." But now the kite has learned to answer, "By no means, for I know the cold end of what you call 'freedom' and the freedom of what you 'bondage'."

Thus the kite soars, pleased and bringing pleasure to the father and son.

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. [Romans 6:20-22]