Insights for Constructive Living
by PAT IANNUZZI
An aging king had no son to continue his reign after his passing, so he decided he would adopt a son to be his successor. He knew it was critical that he choose the right person to be the next king, so he launched a grueling competition throughout his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their backgrounds.
The choice eventually was narrowed down to 10 outstanding boys. There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence, physical attributes and capabilities. The king struggled to find a way to select the one from this group who would be the best to rule over his dominion. He thought and thought and finally said to them, “I have one last test, and whoever comes out on top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne.”
Then he said, “Here are a few seeds of grain for each of you. Take them home, plant them and nurture them for six weeks. At the end of six weeks, the one who has done the best job of cultivating the grain will become my son and my heir.”
The boys took their seeds and hurried home to begin growing them. Each got a pot, prepared some soil and sowed his seeds. There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited to see which boy was destined to be their next king.
In one home, the boy and his parents were heartbroken when, after many days of attentive care and nurture, his seeds failed to sprout. The boy did not know what had gone wrong. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right type of nutrients and he had been very dutiful in watering at the right intervals. He had even prayed over his pot day and night, and yet his seeds had not sprouted. Some of his friends advised him to buy seeds at the market and plant those. “After all,” they said, “how can anyone tell one seed of grain from another?”
But his parents, who had always taught him the value of integrity, reminded him that if the king wanted him to plant just any grain, he would have asked the boy to get his own seeds. “If you plant anything other than what the king gave you,” they told him, “you would be dishonest. Maybe you are simply not destined for the throne.”
The appointed day eventually arrived, and each of the boys returned to the palace. All the other boys proudly displayed pots of healthy seedlings. It was obvious they had had great success. The king asked each of the boys who exhibited pots of healthy seedlings, “Is this what came of the seeds I gave you?” Each boy responded, “Yes, Your Majesty.” The king carefully examined each pot, nodded and smiled.
Then the king spoke to the boy who had only a bare pot of soil to present. The boy was shaking. He feared the king might have him thrown into prison for wasting his seeds. “What did you do with the seeds I gave you?” the king asked.
“I planted them and cared for them diligently, Your Majesty, but alas, despite all my efforts, they failed to grow,” the boy said. “I tried my best, but I am clearly not worthy.” He hung his head in shame, and the crowd jeered.
But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders and said, “My citizens, behold your next king.”
The people were confused. “Why that one?” many asked, “How can he be the right choice?”
The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, “I gave all these boys boiled seeds. A boiled seed will not sprout. This test was not about cultivating grain. It was a test of character; a test of honesty. It was the ultimate test. If a king must have one quality, it must be that he has complete integrity. Only this boy passed the test.”
Pat Iannuzzi of Symbiont Performance Group, Inc. is a performance consultant, trainer and coach focusing on selling, presentation and interpersonal skills. He lives in Litchfield and can be reached at 860-283-9963 or piannuzzi@symbiontnet.com.
