A Parable.
Once upon a time there was a little blue rubber band. He lived across the street from two big brawny red rubber bands. One day, the big red rubber bands called out to the little blue rubber band. “Hey, ya wanna play a game?”
“Sure,” said the little blue rubber band, because he was happy to be noticed by his two big red brothers. “What kind of game is it?”
One of the big red rubber bands said, “It’s a game called, ‘tug of war.’ You stand in the middle and we’ll loop around you and pull in opposite directions and see what happens.”
“That doesn’t sound like much fun,” said the little blue rubber band.
“Oh, it will be. You’ll see. You’re so stretchy we can have lots of fun springing back-and-forth. And, we promise not to pull too hard.”
“Well, alright then, if you promise,” said the little blue rubber band.
The two big brawny red rubber bands looped around the ends of the little blue rubber band and started to pull. It was uncomfortable, but the little blue rubber band decided to be patient and waited for the fun to start.
After a while, a friend of the big red rubber bands happened by and gave the little blue rubber band a twang. He said, “Hear that? That’s music. A little tension is good.” And the little blue rubber band hoped this was the beginning of the fun, but he doubted it.
As the game went on, the little blue rubber band felt it was becoming too painful. He said, “Look fellas, this game is starting to hurt. I politely ask you to let me go.”
All the big brawny red rubber bands would say was, “Let’s keep at it a little longer. I’m sure you’ll get used to it. We heard blue rubber bands are pretty much unbreakable.” And they pulled harder.
After a while, the little blue rubber band confronted the big red rubber bands, “Guys, this game is very painful. I don’t think I can take much more. I demand that you stop immediately.”
“You’re in no position to demand anything. Why’d you choose to play the game if you couldn’t take it?”
“But I didn’t agree to this kind of game! And you guys promised not to pull too hard. Please stop! I can’t take it anymore!”
“OK. Just a little longer and we’ll stop.”
With that, the little blue rubber band snapped, and his frayed ends stung the big red rubber bands. They cried out, “Why did you do that? It hurts bad. That’s not how you’re supposed to play the game!”
The little blue rubber band, desperately wishing to somehow be made whole again, heaved an exhausted sigh, “I asked you nicely, and then I asked more forcefully, but you wouldn’t stop. Every rubber band has a breaking point.”
MurrayWorks 