The next leg of Christian’s journey brings him to a resting place: the Palace Beautiful.
His entrance to the palace isn’t easy–he has to walk past two lions. After he does so, bravely putting his trust that the King’s way will not lead him in the wrong, Christian makes it to the door and realizes the lions were chained the whole time.
Meanwhile, a man named Porter greets him.
He introduces Christian to his four daughters; Discretion, Piety, Prudence, and Charity. The family welcomes Christian in. They sit him down to dinner and ask him about his journey so far, the trials he’s faced and the lessons he’s learned.
But when the subject of his family comes up, Christian wept. He explained that his family would not go with him. It is his only regret.
The sisters and their father do their best to comfort Christian, and send him off to sleep in a bedchamber that suits all his needs.
It’s hard when friends and family don’t agree with you and your faith in Jesus. You want to share His love with them. But you don’t want to force them to do something they don’t want to.
Christian tried his best to convince his wife and sons to follow the King’s path with him. He did everything he could…but it wasn’t enough.
Sometimes, we have to trust God’s plan for those people. Maybe we planted a seed in their head, a thought about the Lord that someone else will grow. We might not have brought them directly to the Lord. We just got it started.
In Christian’s case, his wife and kids do end up going after him. She pursues the King’s Way…it just takes a little longer than Christian hoped.
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