🌾 Parable:

“The City With Two Gates”

There was a city set on a hill, prosperous and peaceful. For many years it had no walls, because the people believed danger was far away. Travelers came and went freely, and the city grew comfortable.

One day an old watchman climbed the tower and saw dust rising on the horizon. He warned the people that strangers were approaching—some friendly, some not—but the city had no defenses. Many laughed at him. “We’ve never needed walls before,” they said. “Building walls means we don’t trust people.”

But the watchman replied, “Walls are not built because we hate what is outside. Walls are built because we love what is inside.”

A few listened. They began to build—not a fortress, but a strong, orderly wall with two gates. One gate welcomed honest travelers, workers, and merchants. The other gate was guarded, meant for careful inspection and protection.

When the strangers finally arrived, the city was ready. Some were indeed peaceful and were welcomed through the open gate. Others came with ill intent and were stopped at the guarded gate. The people inside were safe, and the city remained strong.

Years later, the children of the city asked the watchman, “Why did we build walls when others said we didn’t need them?”

He answered, “Because freedom without order collapses. A home without doors is not generous — it is vulnerable. A nation without boundaries cannot protect the good entrusted to it.”