Once upon a time a man lived in the streets, clad only in the dirtiest
and worst of rags. One day a person from the Palace saw him, and
approached him. There was going to be a banquet at the Palace, and he
had instructions to come and invite people from the highways and byways.
The man was indeed interested. However, he could not attend a banquet
dressed in his rags.

The Palace representative assured him they would exchange his rags for
some suitable finery to wear to the banquet. The two arrived at the
Palace where they went directly to the dressing chambers of the King.
Servants took the filthy rags, bundled them in a little package, and
proceeded to rub, scrub, and clean the man from top to bottom. He was
then allowed to take robes from the closets of the King and received an
exquisite inner garment of purest silk, and an outer robe of finest
purple satin. He was ready for the  banquet!

                 As they left the dressing quarters, the man  grabbed
his old rags. The servants told him to just leave them, because he
wouldn't need them anymore. However, he insisted on taking the bundle
with him. Even though he didn't need the rags now, he felt more secure
somehow if he could just hold on to them.
He hid his bundle of rags on his lap, underneath the tablecloth, so no
one would see them.

There was music and dancing, and every kind of  delicacy
imaginable. Eventually the evening ended and the great gala event was over.
Everyone was happy except for the man clinging to his rag bundle.
He was as hungry as when he had come in. He never had
eaten even one morsel of the food. He had been too busy fixing and
holding on to his old rags.

                Ought we leave our old ways and old rags for a new and
glorious way of living before the King?

--
PS
inner garment of purest silk ~ garment of salvation
outer robe of finest purple satin ~ robe of righteousness
Old rags ~ self righteousness