The Banquet and the Lesson of Serving Others

A king once held a banquet and invited his subjects. They sat at long, narrow, tables filled with the most delightful dishes the people had ever seen. The smells were heavenly and the food was in abundance. But there was a problem.

The spoons and forks the king provided were exceptionally long. It was impossible for any of them to hold the cutlery and bring the food to his mouth. They sat in hunger and frustration for a long while.

Then, they noticed two people at one end of the table enjoying the meal to the fullest. Sitting across from each other, each of them took hold of a long spoon or fork and fed his friend. They realized that by serving each other, they, too, would be better-served.