The Parable of The Unmerciful Fraternity Brother
By Tyler Zach
Note: This story is longer than most of my blogs and therefore requires a little more patience. But it is worth it!
At the end of each semester, the executive board of the Sigma Epsilon fraternity would look over the roster and pick out the members who had not paid their dues in full. These members would be put on the fast track for expulsion since they had not fulfilled their financial obligations.
One by one, the members would go into the executive room of the fraternity house and have an opportunity to explain their situation. Jarred, a junior at Texas A&M, was a little nervous when he first stepped into the room. He hadn’t paid a single dime for the semester.
The financial officer said, “Jarred, as you know, you have an obligation to pay your dues in full every semester. What’s the problem, man?”
Jarred said, “I’m really sorry guys. It’s just that my father left my mom and my little sister three months ago - and ever since, my mom has been struggling to pay the bills. So all the money that I’ve been getting from my job, I’ve been giving to mom and sister. Is there anyway that I can pay you back next semester? My mom and sister just need some time to get back on their feet. I promise I’ll be able to cough up the money next semester.”
There was silence in the room. Nick, the financial officer, replied, “Bro, I feel really sorry for you. That stinks that your family has been going through a rough time. But we can’t make any exceptions. The system has to be fair for everyone. I’m sorry, but we are going to have to let you go.”
Jarred looked at them in disbelief. He waited a few seconds, and then proclaimed, “I can’t believe you guys won’t give me a break! What about all that brotherhood stuff you always talk about? You know...that you’d do anything for a brother in need.”
As Jarred went on defending himself, the President’s heart started to shift. He suddenly felt sorry for Jarred, realizing that his brother really was going through a tough time in his life.
Matt, the President, stopped Jarred and said, “Jarred, listen. I know you are going through a tough time. It wouldn’t be very helpful to the chapter to lose a great guy like yourself. We need you here. So this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to override the system and let you stay in the chapter for now. Normally, I would make you pay back your dues next semester - but - due to the circumstances surrounding your family I’m not going to make you pay your dues. You are a great guy and shouldn’t be punished for helping your family. I know that chapter won’t like it much because it won’t seem fair to them, but it seems very fair to me.”
A smile swept across Jarred’s face. He thanked the President and walked swiftly out of the room. He called his mom later to tell her the good news. She was overjoyed at the President’s mercy.
A few weeks later Jarred was walking to class and saw his fraternity brother, Lucas, coming towards him. At the beginning of the semester Lucas had borrowed $75 from Jarred to help pay for one of his textbooks. Jarred quickly remembered that Lucas owed him money and said, “Hey bro, you still owe me $75. You know, the money that I loaned to you at the beginning of the semester?”
Lucas replied, “Yeah, I know – but don’t you remember that I told you I would have to pay you back next semester? All the money that I’m making at my work-study job is going towards my tuition this semester. I’ll definitely be able to pay you back in a few months. Is that cool with you?”
Jarred started to get a little irritated. “Lucas, you know I’m really hurting for cash right now. I need the money ASAP.” Jarred replied, “Dude, I don’t have the money right now.” “Well, you better get it quick,” Jarred shot back.
“What is your problem? Why are you getting so angry with me? I’ll get you the money, I promise.” “That’s not good enough. You owe me $75 and if you don’t pay it back, I’m going to bring you up on trial in the fraternity. And if they don’t do anything about it, I’ll take matters into my own hands,” Jarred said threateningly.
Word got back to the President about Jarred’s hostility towards Lucas. The next Sunday before the fraternity’s weekly meeting, Matt called Jarred into the executive room. “Hey guys, good to see you. What do you want?” asked Jarred.
Matt sat silently with a frustrated look on his face. “What’s wrong,” Jarred asked. Matt and the rest of the exec team just started at him. “Come on, what is going on here,” Jarred asked again.
Finally Matt spoke up. “I can’t believe you Jarred. We met with you for an hour last week and listened to you patiently as you talked about your family and how you were going through such a tough time. We honestly felt bad for you. We were willing to go against the system and make an exception just for you. The whole chapter was mad at us because we kicked out Ben and Tim because they hadn’t paid their dues – and we let you slide. We gave you a lot of mercy and were judged harshly because of it. And now we’ve heard that you are going to bring Lucas up on trial? What’s up with that? He owes you $75? Big deal! You owe us hundreds of dollars in dues!”
“But…” Jarred tried to chime in. “No, listen to us,” Matt firmly said. “Since we handed you grace and mercy when you needed it, and you failed to show that same mercy to another brother, we are expelling you from the chapter for good. We are saddened by your hypocrisy and will not tolerate it. You are free to go.”
Jarred continued to defend himself but the executive board backed Matt’s decision. The paperwork was signed and he was removed from the fraternity. During the chapter meeting later that night the President said humbly, “What happened to Jarred will happen to you if grace and mercy is extended to you and you do not return the same to your brothers.”
Disclaimer: The names of the people in this story are made up and the plot does not reflect actual events. The parable that this story parallels is Matthew 18:21-35.
Note: This story is longer than most of my blogs and therefore requires a little more patience. But it is worth it!
At the end of each semester, the executive board of the Sigma Epsilon fraternity would look over the roster and pick out the members who had not paid their dues in full. These members would be put on the fast track for expulsion since they had not fulfilled their financial obligations.
One by one, the members would go into the executive room of the fraternity house and have an opportunity to explain their situation. Jarred, a junior at Texas A&M, was a little nervous when he first stepped into the room. He hadn’t paid a single dime for the semester.
The financial officer said, “Jarred, as you know, you have an obligation to pay your dues in full every semester. What’s the problem, man?”
Jarred said, “I’m really sorry guys. It’s just that my father left my mom and my little sister three months ago - and ever since, my mom has been struggling to pay the bills. So all the money that I’ve been getting from my job, I’ve been giving to mom and sister. Is there anyway that I can pay you back next semester? My mom and sister just need some time to get back on their feet. I promise I’ll be able to cough up the money next semester.”
There was silence in the room. Nick, the financial officer, replied, “Bro, I feel really sorry for you. That stinks that your family has been going through a rough time. But we can’t make any exceptions. The system has to be fair for everyone. I’m sorry, but we are going to have to let you go.”
Jarred looked at them in disbelief. He waited a few seconds, and then proclaimed, “I can’t believe you guys won’t give me a break! What about all that brotherhood stuff you always talk about? You know...that you’d do anything for a brother in need.”
As Jarred went on defending himself, the President’s heart started to shift. He suddenly felt sorry for Jarred, realizing that his brother really was going through a tough time in his life.
Matt, the President, stopped Jarred and said, “Jarred, listen. I know you are going through a tough time. It wouldn’t be very helpful to the chapter to lose a great guy like yourself. We need you here. So this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to override the system and let you stay in the chapter for now. Normally, I would make you pay back your dues next semester - but - due to the circumstances surrounding your family I’m not going to make you pay your dues. You are a great guy and shouldn’t be punished for helping your family. I know that chapter won’t like it much because it won’t seem fair to them, but it seems very fair to me.”
A smile swept across Jarred’s face. He thanked the President and walked swiftly out of the room. He called his mom later to tell her the good news. She was overjoyed at the President’s mercy.
A few weeks later Jarred was walking to class and saw his fraternity brother, Lucas, coming towards him. At the beginning of the semester Lucas had borrowed $75 from Jarred to help pay for one of his textbooks. Jarred quickly remembered that Lucas owed him money and said, “Hey bro, you still owe me $75. You know, the money that I loaned to you at the beginning of the semester?”
Lucas replied, “Yeah, I know – but don’t you remember that I told you I would have to pay you back next semester? All the money that I’m making at my work-study job is going towards my tuition this semester. I’ll definitely be able to pay you back in a few months. Is that cool with you?”
Jarred started to get a little irritated. “Lucas, you know I’m really hurting for cash right now. I need the money ASAP.” Jarred replied, “Dude, I don’t have the money right now.” “Well, you better get it quick,” Jarred shot back.
“What is your problem? Why are you getting so angry with me? I’ll get you the money, I promise.” “That’s not good enough. You owe me $75 and if you don’t pay it back, I’m going to bring you up on trial in the fraternity. And if they don’t do anything about it, I’ll take matters into my own hands,” Jarred said threateningly.
Word got back to the President about Jarred’s hostility towards Lucas. The next Sunday before the fraternity’s weekly meeting, Matt called Jarred into the executive room. “Hey guys, good to see you. What do you want?” asked Jarred.
Matt sat silently with a frustrated look on his face. “What’s wrong,” Jarred asked. Matt and the rest of the exec team just started at him. “Come on, what is going on here,” Jarred asked again.
Finally Matt spoke up. “I can’t believe you Jarred. We met with you for an hour last week and listened to you patiently as you talked about your family and how you were going through such a tough time. We honestly felt bad for you. We were willing to go against the system and make an exception just for you. The whole chapter was mad at us because we kicked out Ben and Tim because they hadn’t paid their dues – and we let you slide. We gave you a lot of mercy and were judged harshly because of it. And now we’ve heard that you are going to bring Lucas up on trial? What’s up with that? He owes you $75? Big deal! You owe us hundreds of dollars in dues!”
“But…” Jarred tried to chime in. “No, listen to us,” Matt firmly said. “Since we handed you grace and mercy when you needed it, and you failed to show that same mercy to another brother, we are expelling you from the chapter for good. We are saddened by your hypocrisy and will not tolerate it. You are free to go.”
Jarred continued to defend himself but the executive board backed Matt’s decision. The paperwork was signed and he was removed from the fraternity. During the chapter meeting later that night the President said humbly, “What happened to Jarred will happen to you if grace and mercy is extended to you and you do not return the same to your brothers.”
Disclaimer: The names of the people in this story are made up and the plot does not reflect actual events. The parable that this story parallels is Matthew 18:21-35.
posted by Tyler Zach at 10:33 AM
2 Comments:
Somehow, I don't think that the people above actually read my blog. It looks like advertisements to me. People are getting crafty now days...
Thanks for making the Bible parable so relevant for today!
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