Hello, my name is Dave Scherrer. I’m the president of One Hundred Fold Ministries and you have found our podcast world. We call it Kingdom Offerings. We happen to be about halfway through a series. If you went back a couple of podcasts, you’d find that out. And we’re taking a hard look into our lives and imagining what could we do to become even more effective citizens of the kingdom, even now on Earth?

And we just completed a two-part conversation on prayer, but I want to take a break from these conversations for a couple of weeks to remind us through a story that I wrote why we practice these disciplines. We do them for the love of our Savior. I’m recording this on Good Friday, 2025. And this story that I’m about to tell you reminds us of the very great sacrificial love of our Savior.

This two-part story will be completed in our next podcast serving, and so I hope it brings you joy. I hope that you are taken with its message. It’s called The Rich Man and His Daughter.

Once upon a time, long time ago, there was a land that wasn’t so different than ours, but because it was so long ago, there were no cars or trains or phones. They didn’t have any TVs or hospitals or computers, all kinds of things like that. Of course, there were cities and ranches and there were some very poor people, and there were some very rich people. So in that way, it was a lot like our world. This story is about a very rich man, and his daughter, who lived in that land a long, long time ago.

The man’s name was Joseph, and he and his wife, Anna, owned all the land that they could see. On that land, he had over a thousand head of cattle. He had more chickens and geese than could be counted. He had herds of sheep and pigs. He also had the finest crop of wheat and barley. His vineyards produced the finest wines, his ranches the finest stalk, his fields the finest grain.

He owned dozens of houses so that his servants could be comfortable and could raise their families well. He was the richest man known in all the land, and he was known to be firm, but fair and loving. Yet Joseph considered himself to be poor because the one thing he wanted in the entire world, he did not have. He desperately wanted a child.

For years and years, Joseph and his wife Anna prayed and dreamed of a son or daughter to pour their love into. Everyone that knew them well knew how this sadness penetrated their lives. Their wealth meant nothing to them without a child to love.

Then one day, after many years of marriage, Anna came to her husband and whispered to him in the smallest of voices, “The Lord has answered our prayers.” Well, Joseph knew immediately what that meant, and tears of joy filled his eyes. He fell to the floor, praising his God. The months leading up to the birth went very slowly and Anna became very sick.

You see, many thought that she was too old to have a child, but she always said, “The Lord knows all.” And she smiled a knowing smile. Joseph, well, Joseph was worried constantly, though he tried hard not to let Anna know how concerned he was.

Finally, the night they had all been waiting for arrived. Anna slipped off with the midwife to give birth, and in a separate room, Joseph waited with a couple of his friends and they prayed and talked into the night. Finally, he heard the cries of new life. His child was born. And Joseph wept tears of joy. He rushed into the room, and there he saw his wife weak and pale but smiling. And she was holding a beautiful baby girl.

Joseph touched Anna’s hand. It was cold. And his eyes met hers. She smiled a small, tired smile. “Don’t worry, Joseph. The Lord knows all. What shall we name her?” And Joseph rubbed his wife’s cheek and eyebrows. And he said, “I believe we will call her Anna”.

Joseph’s wife smiled one last time. And so on the happiest day of his life, Joseph also experienced the saddest day of his life. On that day, Anna, his only child was born, and Anna, his deepest and truest love, died. Well, from that day on, his daughter Anna and her dad were inseparable.

And while his heart was broken in the loss of his wife, his heart was filled with the love of a child. Together, they would take the horse and cart to take stock of the herds, check the progress of the grapes. They would visit the help and tend the crops. They would laugh and Joseph would tell Anna wonderful stories of her mother. Joseph would pray with her at night and tell her about the faithfulness of God. Joseph loved this little Anna more than life itself.

Finally, he was truly rich. Well, when the fall harvests were over, they would ride together in front of the caravan, the caravan of crops and cattle, and they would travel several days’ journey to the city. There, they would sell their crops and wine, their poultry and beef. They would trade for seed and tools and gold. And Joseph saw his riches increase.

And on his way home from the city, Joseph would use the time to teach Anna about the truths of life. He taught her of life and loss, of dreams, and the need to be generous. He made sure that she knew there was a truth that could save her and that there were lies that could kill her.

While looking at her beautiful green eyes, he said gently, “Anna, stay very close to me. The city is very dangerous. It may look like fun, but the city will lie to you. And there are lies that can kill you. So be sure and stay close to me. I can keep you safe.”

And Anna snuggled closer to her dad and said, “Daddy, I don’t want to stay in the city. I want to stay with you. What if I get lost?”

“If you get lost, I will find you. I know. I know.”

“But how will you know? How will you know where I am?”

“A father always knows. You just stay close.”

And Anna stayed very, very close. Over the years, they were as close as a father and child could be, and the happiest time every year was when they took the harvest trip into town. They would be able to spend four full days together just talking about life. Anna had questions about God and schools, about her friends, and someday having a husband. Some of the questions were hard for Joseph, but he did his best to answer each one.

Now, at age 14, Anna had more questions about the city than ever. On their way home that year, she asked, “What do they do there all year? Where does that music come from at night? Why do they dress so different there? And what about all those different races and so many different faiths of people? How do they make a living in such a small place?”

And the questions fired off one after another. “Anna, Anna, slow down. You have so many questions, and I will try and answer them all. It’s not bad to have questions. A growing young lady like you is bound to be curious.”

“But now”, Joseph said, “I have a question for you, Anna. What I want to know is, have you been listening to my answers well? Do you understand that just because the fabrics of the dresses are colorful and the scent of the food is enticing, that just because it looks like fun, seems good to the touch, the things of the city can still be deadly. Do you remember the lies?” Joseph went on. “The way to make a person believe a lie is not to tell them a bold-faced lie, but to dress the lie up, tell a half-truth, or an embellished truth, and then a falsehood gets added to it. That’s what happens in the city. The lies are all dressed up in pretty sights and sounds, but here in this city, the lies can kill. Do you understand that, Anna?”

“I think so,” she said, kind of slowly. “I know what you’re saying is true. I know you wouldn’t lie to me. Like you always say, ‘a father always knows’. It’s just so different where we live. I can’t help but wonder.”

“I know you do, little one. I have one final thought.”

After a long time of being quiet, Joseph asked, “Do you believe I love you?”

Reaching for his hand, she said, “Of course, you love me more than anyone.”

And then he said, “Do you think I’m wealthy?”

And Anna laughed, “Dad, you’re the wealthiest person in the world as far as we can see.”

“Well, do you think I would keep anything from you that is good?”

Anna thought, “Sometimes you do. Last year you said I couldn’t race my own horse in the national races.”

“All right, let me ask you another question. Do you think I would keep anything from you without a good reason, even if I didn’t share that reason with you?”

“No, you always have a good reason”, Anna said. “It’s just that sometimes I guess I want everything right now.”

“Yes, I know that feeling. It’s called being young and impatient, except that even old people like me can have that problem. So stay close to me, child. I will give you every good thing there is to be had. My love will protect you from the lies.”

And again, Anna snuggled close to her father and Joseph prayed silently while he set his sights on the horizon and the mountain on that horizon that would then lead them home.

Four years later, on her 18th birthday, Anna came to her father, they had been in the city for two weeks, and the sales and trading were about done for the year. In fact, Joseph was packing up some of his personal belongings and was beginning to prepare for the long trip home. A trip this long needs to be thought through well.

Anna slipped into her father’s room, “Dad, I have a question for you.”

“Of course you do,” Joseph said with a smile, “You always have questions.”

“Well, Dad, I guess this time it’s more of a statement. Dad, I want to stay the winter here in the city. I found a girlfriend and she says I can stay with her. It will only be for four months and then I’ll come back home.”

Joseph turned white with fear and sadness. “Little one, we’ve been all through this. This city is no place for you. It’s filled with danger and lies and sadness. Your best place is with me.”

“Dad, I’m not leaving forever. I just want to see for myself what the city is like. My friend tells me that she has a good job and an extra room. I’m old enough now to marry, I ought to be able to go on a vacation for a few months.” Her tone had just the hint of defiance. She waited.

Finally, Joseph sighed, “You can stay if your heart is set on it. I cannot stop you. You will stay without my blessing, but not without my love.”

“I know this is hard for you, Dad, but I have to grow up sometime. I will send you letters. I love you, Dad.” And she skipped away to pack her things for the stay.

Joseph sat lost in thought. He quietly said to himself, “Yes, but I love you more.”

So we’re going to stop right there for this week.

As I say, tune in again next time for the rest of the story. And as you might suspect, things turn dark for Anna. Her so-called friends betray her, and she finds herself trapped in the city without hope.

So these podcasts are Kingdom Offerings, and I hope that you’ll continue to connect here. Maybe you’ll tune in again the next time and finish the end of The Rich Man and His Daughter.

This is Dave Scherrer and One Hundred Fold Ministries.

Peace to you. He has risen.