One layman of a very pious life came to Abba Pimen. The elder also had other brothers who wanted to listen to his conversations. The elder said to the pious layman: say something for instruction. The layman refused, but being forced by the elder, he said: I don’t know how to speak from Scripture, but I will tell you a parable. One man said to his friend: I want to see the king, come with me. His friend answered him: I will walk half the way with you. He said to the other: go, take me to the king. He answered: I will bring you to the royal palace. He said to the third friend: come with me to the king. Let's go, answered the third friend: I will take you to the palace, bring you into it, tell the king about you and introduce you to him. The brothers asked what this parable meant. The layman answered: the first friend is asceticism, which leads to the true path; the second is purity that reaches to heaven; the third friend is alms, which boldly leads to the King Himself - God. Thus, the brethren received edification and dispersed.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru