The Parable of the Mayonnaise Jar

I wish I could take credit for this writing, but all I contributed was the ending comment. This was plucked from a cyber-space fly by ~author unknown~


A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar slightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, "yes!"

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things,...your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you'll never have room for the things that are really important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit the grandparents. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Smell the roses. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised his hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said," I'm glad you asked. The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a loved one!"


Hebrews 13:1,.."Let brotherly love continue."

How simplistic this life was meant to be lived. Yet, we've filled it with drama and complexities that overshadow the essence of what's truly valuable to us. May we refect upon the mirror of Scripture,...