The Door Opens Inward

picture by Morillo

"The Welcoming Door" by Kenny Kemp tells the stories of three well-known parables: the prodigal son, the talents and the Good Samaritan.  However, Kemp provides an intimate and different perspective, placing Christ (called Jeshua) in these stories as more of an observer rather than the main character.  Each retelling of the parable deepens our understanding of Christ as the peaceful and compassionate man that He is and was to the people in these stories.  The end of each story ends with an "Epilogue" where Kemp portrays Christ telling the parables, now seen as personal experiences rather than general stories.  

One of the metaphors that really touched me from Kemp's book was his metaphor of the door that opens inward in Prodigal Son parable.  Jeshua has been hired to repair the door of a man named Eli.  After working on the door for a few days, Jeshua explains that the door must be completely replaced.  As Eli, the father of the prodigal son, yearns for his lost child, Jeshua tells him that the door must be hung to swing inward as to welcome family, friends and love through the door.  He describes that a door that swings outward is just a passage way for people and livestock to leave but a door that swings inward welcomes all to the warmth of the home.  Simply put, I loved that perspective.  Extended further, this metaphor emphasizes that we must let Christ in with love and trust rather than show him out with bitterness and frustration.  We must also do the same for our fellow men.  

I am impressed by Kemp's praising yet humble view of the Savior before His ministry.  Kemp shows Christ as a carpenter, participating in responsibilities and physical labor, teasing his brothers and loving all he comes in contact with.  We know more about Christ's ministry than His earlier life so I found this portrayal of Christ's early years as comforting and tender.