Kevin DeYoung has posted three parts of four of a modern day allegory named Many Are Called but Few Are Chosen in the tradition of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. I highly recommend Kevin’s work. It is delightful.
here is part of the beginning to tease you over there.
Don’t get me wrong, Evangelist was a cheerful, likeable guy, but many people in town said that, for some reason, he made them feel uncomfortable. Some people got off the phone feeling bad about themselves, which, of course, they didn’t think was very good. Others objected to his persistence. Many called him a troublemaker and a nuisance. Over time, more and more people simply hung up on Evangelist once they recognized his voice.
For weeks, the response had been downright dismal. Not a single citizen of Blandanddark showed any interest in traveling with Evangelist to the his hometown, The Pearl of Greatest Price. No takers, just dial tones. This was enough to make even bright-eyed Evangelist a bit gloomy. (In fact, if truth be told, one day Evangelist was so upset he tried to leave town but was order back by his Sovereign with the assurance that there were still some faithful travelers to be called in Blandanddark.)
You can understand, then, why this day had Evangelist singing, whistling and skipping all over town. In one day, out of fifteen calls, he had received a dozen favorable responses. This was unheard of, not to mention most exciting. In a burst of joy, Evangelist hurriedly made preparations for the group’s early morning departure. He worked feverishly, gathering supplies, checking maps, and most importantly, getting a good night’s sleep.